PPFL: Army hope to retain last season’s silver

Abbas scores match-winner in the league against PIA.

KARACHI: Army moved up to third position in the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) as they defeated PIA 1-0 in Karachi yesterday. The silver medallists from last season will try to maintain their ranking once again this year as they have replaced PAF on the third spot with the win.

After playing a goalless first half, Army’s Ansar Abbas scored the match-winner which PIA failed to equalise.

Army now have 54 points after playing 26 matches, ahead of PAF and Muslim FC who have 53 points each. Meanwhile, KRL have confirmed their place on the top with 62 points and KESC sit on second place with 56 points after 28 matches.

“We still have a very good chance of keeping our silver medal this year too,” Army goal-keeper Jaffar Khan, who was also named player-of-the-match against PIA, told The Express Tribune. “We still have four more matches to go, while KESC only have two, so there is a possibility that they might not be able to retain the position for too long.”

In another match, Navy played a goalless draw against Wapda at the Korangi Stadium, and replaced PIA in seventh position with 33 points whereas Wapda moved to 10th with 30 points after playing 26 matches.

In the third match of the day, Afghan FC climbed three places moving up to ninth position with 31 points as Wohaib FC failed to show up at the venue in Chaman. Afghan FC got a walk-over against them.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2013.