KARACHI, Dec 9: Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) opened up a three-point gap at the top of the Pakistan Premier Football League after Nigerian striker Oludeyi Abayomi Sunday’s first-half brace set them on their way to a 4-0 victory over Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) here on Monday.

Having scored the winner against Muslim FC on his PPFL debut, Abayomi impressed again as he took his tally to three goals in his first two games in the league.

He opened the scoring in the 20th minute at the Korangi Baloch Stadium and ensured KESC went into half-time with a two-goal lead by scoring again in first-half injury-time.

Mohammad Rasool made it 3-0 for the PPFL leaders with a strike in the 65th before Mohammad Yaqoob wrapped up the scoring in stoppage time and move KESC to 39 points from 18 matches, three ahead of second-placed Muslim FC. PIA’s defeat left them on fourth spot, level on 33 points with Wapda.

Meanwhile, two-time defending champions Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) reinvigorated their faltering title defence with a 2-1 win against bottom-side Lyallpur FC.

Zia-us-Salam scored the winner on the half-hour mark at the Model Town Football Club Ground in Lahore to help KRL snap a four-game winless run which had seen them lose twice.

Lyallpur, who have nine points from 18 matches, stunned KRL by taking the lead through Naeemullah in the 23rd minute but Kaleemullah restored in the 28th before Zia struck two minutes later as the champions moved to 23 points from 13 matches.—Sports Reporter