KARACHI, Oct 30: A last-gasp double from Mohammad Rasool helped leaders Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to a 2-0 victory against Lyallpur FC and extend their lead at the top of the Pakistan Premier Football League standings to 10 points on Wednesday.

“It was a vital victory,” KESC’s sports head Zabe Khan told Dawn.

“The match was heading towards a draw but Rasool popped up with two goals at the end and instead of dropping two points, we got three.”

KESC’s victory helped them move to 28 points from 12 matches, with Muslim FC in second-place on 18, level on points with third-placed Karachi Port Trust (KPT) who failed to put pressure on the leaders by falling to a 2-1 defeat against Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL).

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) lie a further point behind following their 2-1 victory against Baloch FC while ZTBL moved up to eighth place with 14 points.

New boys Lyallpur had contained KESC for the full ninety minutes, thwarting last year’s runners-up and having a few chances of their own here at the KMC Stadium.

But they conceded in the second minute of stoppage time when KESC were awarded a corner which was won by captain Mohammad Essa and his header landed on the boot of Rasool who had the simple job of tapping it in the net.

Lyallpur’s heads went down but with head coach Mohammad Habib urging them to go forward and rescue a draw, they were undone by a slick KESC counterattack finished by Rasool to make the scoreline a little more flattering.

“KESC were lucky,” Habib, whose side remain on eight points, told Dawn after the match. “We played good football but in football sometimes you need that extra slice of luck to get a result in your favour.”

Habib conceded that it was probably the inexperience of his boys at the top level which cost them the game.

“We have a team of new players and maybe our concentration levels went down as we neared full-time,” he added.

Another late goal at the KPT Stadium saw ZTBL steal victory against KPT.

Hanif Khan scored the winner five minutes from time after team-mate Naeem Iqbal had cancelled out Mohammad Bin Younis’ 15th minute opener with a fine strike in the 24th.

“It’s a bad result for us,” KPT head coach Mohammad Asif said after the match. “We could’ve taken all three points but ended up getting none.”

At the Korangi Baloch Stadium, first-half goals from Ali Adam Shah and Shakir Lashari set PIA on their way to victory against Baloch FC.

Ali opened the scoring in the 36th minute before former Pakistan international Shakir netted just before half-time with Baloch FC’s Wali Khan pulling a goal back on the hour mark.