PIA fly high as football league resumes

Lashari hits brace to help side record 3-1 win over NBP.

KARACHI: PIA recorded an impressive win over NBP 3-1 as the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) resumed after a two-week break.

Shakir Lashari hit a brace, contributing the first of his two goals in the 31st minute to put PIA in the front seat. Captain Nasrullah helped his team consolidate their position with a 62nd-minute strike before NBP hit back with a goal from Mohammad Asif five minutes later.

However, Lashari sealed the win with his second goal in the 84th minute.

The victory helped PIA move to ninth place in the 16-team league with a total of 21 points in 20 games. PIA have so far won four, drew nine and lost seven matches.

PIA coach Shamim Khan was confident of the team showing improvement as the PPFL moves into its final stages.

“We still have eight more matches to go,” Khan told The Express Tribune. “We’ve had a poor run but the two-week break was a breather for the players after playing non-stop for two months. The win has definitely revived team spirit.”

Meanwhile, NBP slid to sixth place after suffering their fifth defeat.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2012.