HBL down KESC in football league

Afghan FC awarded walkover against PEL, Army draw against Navy.

KARACHI: HBL defeated KESC 1-0 in their Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) fixture while Afghan FC were awarded a walkover against Pel and Pakistan Army played out a goal-less draw against Pakistan Navy.

Mohammad Atif scored the winner, which also happened to be the only goal in all the three matches that took place yesterday, in the 42nd minute to put HBL ahead against KESC.

Atif, who has been the leading goal-scorer for HBL, ensured that KESC lost their second successive match in the tournament. While HBL are still placed seventh in the 16-team PPFL, KESC stand fourth after the twin losses.

Meanwhile, Pel players refused to travel to Chaman for their match against Afghan FC owing to security concerns. This was the third instance when Pel have decided to skip a match in the ongoing tournament, prompting the match commissioner Abdul Samad to take serious notice.

“Pel are not travelling to Chaman because they feel they’ll be targeted,” Samad told The Express Tribune.

“Last month people were killed in sectarian violence and that’s the only reason Pel escaped a sanction.

“Otherwise any team choosing to skip three matches would have faced serious punishment because it’s not fair to the home team.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st,  2011.