WAPDA lose power in football league
PMC Athletico stun defending PPFL champions 2-0.
KARACHI:
Muhammad Usman scored a brace as PMC Athletico stunned seven-time national champions Wapda 2-0 in the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) match in Faisalabad.
Usman scored the opener in the 14th minute before helping himself to another goal in the 84th minute to seal the upset for his side. The win was a welcome one for Athletico, who languish at the bottom of the table with just two victories in 11 matches. In comparison, Wapda, who are now sixth in the table, have 14 points after 11 matches and blamed the loss of their main players for a poor show so far.
“It’s been an unlucky season,” Wapda coach Gul Muhammad told The Express Tribune. “We are without our main striker Arif Mehmood who is out due to injury and has been the league’s top scorer the past three years.
“We are missing a couple of other key players as well and this loss has probably hurt us most.”
However, the coach said that his players had the ability to bounce back and claimed that Wapda can still defend the title in the remaining 18 matches that take place in Punjab.
Meanwhile, Mehmood said that he was hopeful of joining the team soon and was disappointed at the performance Wapda have put up this year.
“We were one of the main contenders at the PPFL and it’s like we don’t have a chance anymore,” said Mehmood.
Meanwhile, KESC outplayed Muslim FC 2-0 in Karachi. KESC captain Essa Khan scored in the 18th minute before Mohammad Rasool doubled the lead in the 26th minute to seal their team’s win.
KESC are now placed fourth in the league with 21 points after 11 matches while Muslim FC languish at 11th position.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2011.
Muhammad Usman scored a brace as PMC Athletico stunned seven-time national champions Wapda 2-0 in the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) match in Faisalabad.
Usman scored the opener in the 14th minute before helping himself to another goal in the 84th minute to seal the upset for his side. The win was a welcome one for Athletico, who languish at the bottom of the table with just two victories in 11 matches. In comparison, Wapda, who are now sixth in the table, have 14 points after 11 matches and blamed the loss of their main players for a poor show so far.
“It’s been an unlucky season,” Wapda coach Gul Muhammad told The Express Tribune. “We are without our main striker Arif Mehmood who is out due to injury and has been the league’s top scorer the past three years.
“We are missing a couple of other key players as well and this loss has probably hurt us most.”
However, the coach said that his players had the ability to bounce back and claimed that Wapda can still defend the title in the remaining 18 matches that take place in Punjab.
Meanwhile, Mehmood said that he was hopeful of joining the team soon and was disappointed at the performance Wapda have put up this year.
“We were one of the main contenders at the PPFL and it’s like we don’t have a chance anymore,” said Mehmood.
Meanwhile, KESC outplayed Muslim FC 2-0 in Karachi. KESC captain Essa Khan scored in the 18th minute before Mohammad Rasool doubled the lead in the 26th minute to seal their team’s win.
KESC are now placed fourth in the league with 21 points after 11 matches while Muslim FC languish at 11th position.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2011.