ZTBL boost survival hopes with win
League debutants register vital 2-1 victory over KPT.
League debutants register vital 2-1 victory over KPT. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
ZTBL won their fifth match in the Pakistan Premier Football League as the Lahore-based team defeated KPT 2-1 in Karachi yesterday.
KPT’s Saadat Hussain scored an own goal in the 34th minute as the home team found it difficult to cope with ZTBL’s string of attacks in the first half.
ZTBL’s second goal was scored by Iftikhar Ali Khan in the 69th minute while KPT’s solitary goal came in the 75th as a result of a penalty kick by Akhtar Mamool. The home team was awarded the opportunity after ZTBL captain Syed Ghazi Khan tackled their forward Mohammad.
With the result, KPT remained in 10th position with 27 points after 25 matches and ZTBL replaced HBL on the 13th spot with 23 points after 26 matches. So far, ZTBL have won five matches, lost 13 and drawn eight while KPT have lost 10 times and have registered seven wins.
“We are a better team than ZTBL, it was just an unlucky day for us,” KPT manager Shah Naeem told The Express Tribune. “Our own goal cost us heavily. We would have been satisfied even with a draw. Now with five matches left, our goal for the season is to try to stay among the top 10 teams and avoid sinking further in the points table.”
Meanwhile, ZTBL’s coach Najeebullah Najmi said that his team’s aim is to survive their first season and improve their rankings from the bottom of the league.
“We have kept our expectations realistic,” said Najmi. “With this win we have moved up two places on the table. Even maintaining this 13th position throughout the remaining league matches would be enough for us. We now have four matches to go and if we manage to draw three of them, then hopefully we will retain our spot.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2012.
ZTBL won their fifth match in the Pakistan Premier Football League as the Lahore-based team defeated KPT 2-1 in Karachi yesterday.
KPT’s Saadat Hussain scored an own goal in the 34th minute as the home team found it difficult to cope with ZTBL’s string of attacks in the first half.
ZTBL’s second goal was scored by Iftikhar Ali Khan in the 69th minute while KPT’s solitary goal came in the 75th as a result of a penalty kick by Akhtar Mamool. The home team was awarded the opportunity after ZTBL captain Syed Ghazi Khan tackled their forward Mohammad.
With the result, KPT remained in 10th position with 27 points after 25 matches and ZTBL replaced HBL on the 13th spot with 23 points after 26 matches. So far, ZTBL have won five matches, lost 13 and drawn eight while KPT have lost 10 times and have registered seven wins.
“We are a better team than ZTBL, it was just an unlucky day for us,” KPT manager Shah Naeem told The Express Tribune. “Our own goal cost us heavily. We would have been satisfied even with a draw. Now with five matches left, our goal for the season is to try to stay among the top 10 teams and avoid sinking further in the points table.”
Meanwhile, ZTBL’s coach Najeebullah Najmi said that his team’s aim is to survive their first season and improve their rankings from the bottom of the league.
“We have kept our expectations realistic,” said Najmi. “With this win we have moved up two places on the table. Even maintaining this 13th position throughout the remaining league matches would be enough for us. We now have four matches to go and if we manage to draw three of them, then hopefully we will retain our spot.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2012.