KARACHI: Mohammad Rasool scored a hat-trick as K-Electric continued their chase of Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) leaders Pakistan Army by winning their third straight match when they overwhelmed Muslim FC 5-1 here on Thursday.

The victory at the KPT Football Stadium moved last season’s runners-up to 29 points from 14 matches, seven behind Army who have played four games more.

K-Electric got off to a fast start, Nigerian Oludeyi Abayomi Sunday opening the scoring just three minutes in before Rasool got on the score-sheet in the 21st to send K-Electric 2-0 up into half-time.

Skipper Mohammed Essa made in 3-0 six minutes past the hour mark before Rasool added his second with 15 minutes remaining.

Ahmed Ali pulled one back for Muslim FC in the 88th but Rasool restored K-Electric’s four-goal advantage when he completed his treble barely 60 seconds later.

Prior to kick-off, a minute’s silence was observed in remembrance of the victims of the deadly attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2014