KARACHI: Inspired by their Nigerian duo, K-Electric halted a slide of four games without a win by defeating arch-rivals Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) 3-2 in the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) on Sunday.

Winless since beating National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in their opening game of the season, K-Electric had seen their title chances hit after suffering two defeats and drawing their other two games since.

But with Nigerian new-signing Wilson and Oludei Abayomi Sunday — who also played for them last season — making their first starts this season, K-Electric were a different force.

“Wilson and Sunday added a new dimension to our game,” K-Electric’s sports head Zabe Khan told Dawn from Islamabad. “Their return helped us a lot in getting my first win over KRL [since I took over].”

K-Electric had been touted as title favourites this season after three-time defending champions KRL lost key players in the off-season with Kaleemullah, Mohammad Adil and Saddam Hussain leaving for Kyrgyzstan giants Dordoi FC.

But after a poor run of results recently, it seemed the tag of favourites was proving too heavy for K-Electric. However they bucked that trend at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad on Sunday.

Mohammad Rasool fired them into the lead in the 29th after good work by Wilson and Sunday created panic in the KRL defence, allowing the former Pakistan international poke the ball past Saqib Hanif from inside the box.

Sunday then put them 2-0 ahead seven minutes into the second-half with a spectacular volley.

KRL reduced their advantage through striker Murtuza Hussain who scored from the penalty spot in the 63rfd but K-Electric captain Mohammad Essa reduced their two-goal advantage nine minutes later.

Abdul Samad’s strike deep into stoppage time reduced the arrears but their second straight defeat, following a 1-0 reverse against Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Friday, keeps them on 11 points from seven games and three points ahead of K-Electric.

In the earlier kick-off at the Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Army moved two points clear at the top after a goalless draw with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

The draw put them on 19 points from nine games, two ahead of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Karachi Port Trust (KPT) while PIA have 10 points from six matches.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2014