Stalemates order of the day in PPFL

Fancied teams held at bay in national football league

KARACHI: There was no winning team in the Pakistan Premier Football League on Tuesday as all three matches ended in draws at three different venues in Karachi.

Last year’s runners-up KESC played a goalless match with Army at the Korangi Baloch Football Stadium, while HBL contained KRL with similar results at the KMC Stadium.

Baloch FC’s Asif Khan scored the opening goal in the 54th minute, while Navy’s Sajjad Ahmed equalised in the 68th in a 1-1 draw at the KPT Stadium.

Despite a slow day, KESC coach Hasan Baloch believes that drawn matches are not a bad trend; he feels that this only shows that the teams are more competitive this season.

“Ours was a very tough match with Army,” Baloch told The Express Tribune. “We dominated in the first-half, and Army performed very well in the second. The competition is tougher this season as six teams will be relegated.”

The result did not affect KESC’s position as the leading team in the league. They have 32 points after 14 matches in the season so far.

Meanwhile, Army drew their seventh match and continued their hold on the eighth position with 18 points out of 12 matches.

However, Baloch thinks that KRL should have registered a big win against HBL.

“KESC and Army are on the same level, but I think KRL should’ve won the match since they have the top players of the country.”