KARACHI, Oct 22: National champions Wapda and PAF became group leaders after scoring league victories in the President PFF Cup football championship at People’s Sports Complex Tuesday.
Both matches of the day were to decide the group champions as the four teams had already reached the knock-out stage of the competition.
PAF cantered to a 2-0 victory over Habib Bank (HBL) in a Group ‘C’ match, while the formidable Wapda outplayed Agha Gas Quetta (AGQ) 2-1 in Group ‘D’.
Both, Wapda and AGQ, had qualified after third team in the group, Pakistan Police, pulled out of the tournament at the last moment.
The PAF-HBL encounter started with both sides invading each other halves, with the bankers attacking through forwards Gul Mohammad, Mohammad Ayub and Arshad Jawaid.
But PAF goalkeeper Khalid Khan and defenders Mohammad Ilyas and Mohammad Iqbal prevented the HBL strikers to give their attacks a finishing touch.
HBL’s Amjad Yousuf and Shakir Hussain came near scoring but squandered some three opportunities before the breather.
The airmen put pressure on their rivals with penetrating moves through strikers Arshad Ali, Mohammad Fazal, and Mohammad Nadeem, and got the first on 34 minutes. It was HBL stopper Mohammad Tariq on whose slip Mohammad Fazal slammed home past HBL goalie.
PAF commenced attacks straight from the beginning of the second half, and were duly rewarded barely two minutes after resumption, Mohammad Saleh Khan firing in after another defensive fault.
The bankers could have levelled and even taken the lead but must be ruing three chances they got when Shahid Saleem, Mahboob Khan and Shakir failed to find the target.
Wapda’s defence was alert whenever AGQ attacked as their goalkeeper Saadullah was well supported by Mohammad Shahid, Jamshaid Anwar, and Tanveer Ahmad, to keep Karrar Hussain, Sadiq Ali, and Mahmood Khan at bay.
First goal for Wapda came in the 24th minute when Khalid Butt collected a Tanveerul Hasnain pass.
Wapda maintained their dominance yet in the second half and tore AGQ defence with a 64th-minute raid that saw Tanveer crashing home a Zulfiqar Shah pass with a long-range volley.
AGC got some consolation after a Sadiq Ali goal in the 85th minute.
Wednesday’s fixtures:
PTCL v SSGC at 1.45pm; KPT v Afghan Agency Chaman at 3.45pm.
