LAHORE, Dec 3: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) dropped out of the race for the title when they drew 3-3 with Punjab Medical College (PMC) at KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi, in the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Pak Elektron Limited (PEL) made sure to feature in A-division football next season when they earned a 3-2 win over Pakistan Television (PTV), turning the tide in the last three minutes with two goals at PSB Ground, Islamabad, and Navy staged a recovery after conceding two goals within 11 minutes to draw 2-2 with top favourites Wapda at Naval Complex, Islamabad.

KRL found themselves 0-2 down in a 3-3 thriller against PMC. Winger Ghulam Abbas got the Faisalabad outfit ahead in the 19th minute and Tanveer ul Hasnain doubled the lead 90 seconds later.

KRL pulled one back in the 35th minute through Abid Ghazi Khan. Ghazi levelled the issue with his second in the 71st minute. The next minute saw Zia-us-Salam hammering the ball in to put KRL ahead by 3-2. But Skipper Haroon Yousuf made it 3-3 in the 85th minute. Both teams completed their 25 matches. KRL collected 46 points as compared to PMC’s 32. They also drew 1-1 in the first leg on Sept 1. PTV missed the opportunity of their second win when they fell 2-3 to PEL. PTV were the first to settle down and broke the deadlock in the 11th minute through midfielder Ali Shair but winger Amir Hamza neutralised the lead in the final minute of the first half.

It stayed 1-1 at interval. PTV regained the lead in the 66th minute when striker Mohammad Shahzad fired the ball past keeper Ahmed Shahzad.

PEL went all out in quest of goals and struck twice in the last three minutes. Mohammad Rashid made it 2-2 in the 87th minute and it was left to Saghir Ahmed to snatch the all-important goal for PEL in the last minute.

PEL earned 30 points in 25 matches opening the gates for Pakistan Steel to join PTV (five points) as the two relegated teams. It was also a double as PEL won 2-0 in the first leg.

Wapda opened the proceedings against Navy when Arif Mahmood scored in 6th and 11th minutes. But Navy staged a brilliant comeback to cancel out both his attempts through their international midfielders Farhan Abdul Qadir (38th min) and Nomi Martin Gill (44th min).

The 1999 National Championship runner-up Navy too completed 26 matches, securing 41 points from 11 wins and eight draws. Wapda, who will take on Army in the league’s 182nd and final match on Saturday, have pocketed 51 points from 25 matches.

Thursday’s fixture: Afghan FC v Habib Bank Limited at Government High School, Chaman, at 3.00pm.—Agencies