KARACHI, Aug 15: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) beat Habib Bank Limited (HBL) 2-0 and Pakistan Steel and Wapda drew 1-1 in the two Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) matches played at the Peoples Sports Complex and Pakistan Steel Town Ground on Friday evening.

The first match at the Peoples Sports Complex saw KRL’s skipper and striker Mohammad Essa prove his fitness by scoring both the goals for his side. Essa’s first goal came in the 41st minute when he converted midfielder Zia-us-Salam’s through pass by brilliantly deceiving HBL’s keeper Aqueel Ahmed. The score at interval was 1-0.

The second goal, coming in the 62nd minute, was a complete solo effort from the former Pakistan skipper.

Meanwhile, the other match between Pakistan Steel and Wapda, played at the Pakistan Steel Ground, saw Pakistan Steel scoring first, in the 35th minute, off a cross pass from midfielder Abdul Wahab, which was gently pushed in by striker Mohammad Akmal past Wapda’s goalkeeper Abdul Aziz. The 1-0 score at interval would have stayed that way had it not been for Wapda’s senior striker Khuda Bakhsh, who was substituted on the field at the right moment by skipper Arif Mahmood. Khuda Bakhsh scored for his side in the 83rd minute, his third one in the ongoing tournament.

Saturday’s fixtures: National Bank of Pakistan v Pakistan Television at the Korangi Baloch Stadium at 5.30pm. Karachi Port Trust v Army at CDGK Stadium at 5.30pm. Punjab Medical College v Pak Elektron Limited at Punjab Medical College Ground, Faisalabad, at 5.30pm.