Mauripur Baloch hold HBL

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KARACHI, June 26: Mauripur Baloch halted Habib Bank's (HBL) winning run, converting a first half penalty through Abdul Rasheed to force a 1-1 draw in the national football league on Saturday.

HBL, leading at the table in Karachi with 11 points from five matches, paid heavily when goalkeeper Mohammad Shahzad charged and tripped Mauripur Baloch striker Khalid Iqbal in the 8th minute at CDGK Stadium.

Rasheed made no mistake in taking his side ahead from the spot to gain precious one point.

Ayub Taj saved HBL's blushes when he struck the equaliser in the 34th minute.

HBL will be missing Sameen Ibraheem in their next match against Naka Mohammadan on Monday after he got his second yellow card of the league in the dying moments of the game.

Karachi Port Trust (KPT) missed several gilt-edged chances before scoring a facile 3-1 victory over Naka Mohammadan.

KPT, after Saturday's win, trailed behind the bankers with 10 points after five games.

Lal Bukhsh of KPT had ample opportunity but not only took too long but also sent his drive over the bar in the 10th minute.

Shakir Taj, however, took full advantage of a slack Naka Mohammadan defence and netted the opening goal with ease from close range in the 15th minute.

Not only Naka Mohammadan's defence was sloppy, their poor finish was exposed when Mohammad Rais drove the ball wide, although KPT goalkeeper Zulfiqar was on the only hurdle between him and the goal.

Mohammad Iqbal, a 50-year-old bald former international, grabbed the 39th-minute leveller with a 25-metre floating drive from right that rattled the crossbar before landing on line while Naka Mohammadan goalkeeper Mohammad Asghar blundered.

An excellent work between KPT's Asif Ayub and substitute Asim Faiz saw the latter's effort being saved by Asghar in the 50th minute.

KPT's Abdul Rauf caught Naka Mohammadan defenders napping and struck from 25 metres out past Asghar in the 55th minute.

Asim again came near scoring in the 77th minute but returned after shaking the woodworkbut compensated two minutes later with a right-footed strike following a Fareed Majeed pass.

Fareed should have easily netted fourth but missed the target through a header, while it was not Naka Mohammadan's defence which prevented Lal Bukhsh from scoring as the striker's long punt ended on wasting time and missing the target.

Monday's fixtures: Naka Mohammadan v HBL; Mauripur Baloch v KPT at CDGK Stadium.

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