K-Electric, PAF record contrasting wins

KARACHI: Holders K-Electric and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) recorded contrasting wins on Sunday here in their matches of Pakistan Premier Football League at different venues.

K-Electric defeated former four-time winners WAPDA 1-0, while PAF whipped Nushki’s Baloch FC 3-0.Here at the lush green pitch of the KMC Stadium, the National Challenge Cup winners PAF did a solid job to defeat Baloch FC with an enviable ease despite missing a handful of chances.

PAF put themselves ahead in the first minute when Samad Khan netted a fine goal. At half time PAF were leading 1-0. In the second half, PAF kept tight grip on the game and added two goals, through Mansoor Khan and Mohammad Mujahid.

The victory enabled PAF to join leaders Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) with 26 points. PAF have plus 10 and KRL have plus 15 goal-average.“We missed six goals,” PAF coach Mohammad Arshad told ‘The News’.

“We were playing with a depleted side as several of our key players are on the injury list and a couple of them were facing suspension due to red cards. But still it’s good for us that we managed a win here,” said Arshad, a former international.

Baloch FC coach Khalid Nawaz said his team would fight back. “We still have enough matches to play and our team will rise,” Khalid told this correspondent.

“Last night our three players rushed to Quetta due to an emergency. I am confident we will be able to avert relegation,” Khalid said.

The loss left Baloch FC gasping at four points after 13 appearances.In the other outing, here at the Korangi Baloch Football Ground in Sharafi Goth, Murtaza Hussain hit the second half winner to enable K-Electric to pull off their fifth win of the season.

“It was a tight game,” K-Electric assistant coach Mohammad Essa told ‘The News’.“I told my boys that it would be our do or die game. If we won we would be in a position to fight for the top two places. And the boys played according to the plan. We did miss a few chances in the first half though,” Essa said.The win took K-Electric to 21 points from 13 matches. The loss left former four-time winners WAPDA at 23 points from 13 outings.