LAHORE: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) v National Bank of Pakistan (NBP): Master v Protégé. And the master, Tariq Lutfi, prevailed on Tuesday.

Saadullah’s powerful header in the 10th minute secured a 1-0 victory for the KRL head coach which sent the two-time defending champions top of the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) table while condemning NBP gaffer Nasir Ismail to a bitter defeat as he sees his side battle relegation.

“We played well in certain phases of the game but unfortunately we couldn’t convert our chances,” Nasir told Dawn after the match.

“But there is no shame in losing to the top team in the country … and to my teacher,” he quipped, referring to Lutfi who he regards as the man who taught him some finer points of the game.

KRL’s victory in a feisty clash at the Model Town Football Academy Ground, in front of Pakistan’s Bahraini coach Mohammad Al Shamlan, meant there is a three-way tie again at the top.

A day after the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) moved to 62 points, KRL and Wapda pushed them down to third following their victories on Tuesday. Wapda were 2-0 winners over the Karachi Port Trust (KPT).

KRL, who are top courtesy of a superior goal difference, have played 27 matches with the KESC having featured in 28 games with Wapda playing a game more.

With both teams having games on them, Wapda’s chances of winning the title would rest heavily on their final game against the KESC on Feb 6.

They need to win that game and hope the KRL lose all their three games, including the final game of this season’s PPFL against KESC on Feb 8 to edge the KESC on goal-difference for their fifth PPFL crown.

Wapda dominated KPT at the Railway’s Football Stadium and Hasnain Abbas gave them a deserved lead when he scored with an arrowing header in the 18th minute.

Veteran striker Arif Mehmood then scored with a wonderful effort from the edge of the box which went into the top corner in the 32nd to seal KPT’s fate.

The loss, however, wouldn’t concern KPT who are assured of their place in the PPFL next season as they have 38 points from 28 matches.

Unlike the NBP who need two points from their last two games to reach the safety-mark of 35 points.

They almost conceded straight from kick-off after Kaleemullah’s cut-back went across the face of goal and just past the on-rushing Saadullah.

But Saadullah made no mistake ten minutes later as perfectly floated corner from Kaleemullah found him in space and he connected with the bullet header that gave NBP goalkeeper Mohammad Umar no chance.

Saad could’ve had a second when he had a sharp shot saved by Umar and moments later Saqib Hanif was called into action, tipping a dipping shot just over the cross-bar, to maintain KRL’s lead at the other end.

The second-half saw NBP’s experienced striker Farooq Shah try to make inroads in the KRL defence and he saw a shot go narrowly wide.

With NBP going for broke at the end to rescue a point, they forced a corner on the stroke of full-time and Umar, called up to the box to conjure up something magical, connected with it but it went wide.

“We showed great fighting spirit,” Nasir said. “We will survive.”

Lutfi, meanwhile, was looking forward to KRL’s next two games against KPT and Pakistan Army.

“If we win those games and Wapda win against the KESC, the title will be decided before the last game,” he told Dawn after the match.

“The boys need to stay composed. We’ve had a tough season this as we came into the league with teams having played ten games each but we’ve managed to do well and fight like champions.”

Elsewhere at the Battle-X Football Stadium, Army were held to a goalless draw by Afghan FC. The result helped Army go fifth with 46 points from 27 matches while Afghan FC have 29 points after 29 games.