QUETTA, Sept 24: Wapda will face National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in a crucial encounter of Pakistan Premier Soccer League at Model Town ground (Block C) Lahore on Sunday. The winner of the match will topple Afghan Club of Chaman from the top of the table. Afghan Club won nine of their 18 matches in securing 31 points while NBP have 30 points in 16 matches.

Third-placed Wapda are showing improvement with each match and so far have garnered 28 points from 13 games.

The first leg, between two sides, at CDGK Stadium, Karachi had ended in a scoreless draw on Aug 26.

Wapda is defending the title while NBP entered PFF 2005 by finishing first in PFF League 2004. The winner of 132-match event will earn the rights to play in second AFC President Cup next year.

Meanwhile at Rawalpindi, Afghan Club suffered another setback when they lost to PTCL 2-6 with Adeel Ahmed scoring a hat trick. It was fifth hat trick of the event. Previous hat tricks were scored by Muhammad Essa (Afghan FC), Sattar Mansuri (NBP), Adnan Bari and Imran Hussain (Army).

The 6-2 win lifted PTCL to eighth spot with 17 points from 11 games. PTCL is still among favoruites to lift the title. They won the National Challenge Cup last month with Adeel becoming leading scorer.

Nowshera-born Adeel is also their leading marksman with six goals and his three goals against league leader Afghan came in the 60th, 67th and 76th minutes. Muhammad Ejaz fired two goals for the winners in the 25th and 66th minute while Burhan Ali, who opened the scoring for Islamabad team struck in the 17th minute.

The losers replied through Aziz Khalil (48th minute) and Muhammad Essa (73rd minute).—PPI