Football league to kick off today

National champions Wapda take on Pakistan Elecktron Limited in Lahore.

KARACHI: Seven-time national champions Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) will take on Pakistan Elecktron Limited (Pel) in Lahore as the seventh Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) kicks off today.

Meanwhile, four-time national champions Pakistan Army will play against Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on the opening day of the tournament.

Sixteen teams participating in the tournament will play on a home and away basis in eight cities with the winners representing Pakistan at the 2011 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has included Sui Southern Gas Corporation (SSGC) and Young Blood Football Club as two new sides in the event alongside the 14 teams that had participated last year.

Wapda manager Munnawar Malik said that the 2004 PPFL champions are not taking hosts Pel lightly due to their impressive forwards. However, Wapda is confident of making it to the quarter-finals.

Last year’s finalists Army have a comparatively difficult match against PAF in Rawalpindi. Three other matches will be played in three different cities today.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2010.