Army continue winning momentum

The team defeats PAF 1-0 in PPFL encounter.

KARACHI:

Army continued their winning start to this season’s Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) after defeating PAF 1-0 at the Jinnah Stadium on Saturday. Army had earlier thrashed Railways 6-0 in their opening match.

Both sides played out a goalless first half before Ansar Abbas scored the winner in the 65th minute of the match.

In the other fixture of the day, KPT defeated NBP 2-0 at the KPT Stadium.

Zafar Majeed scored the opening goal of the match in the 23rd minute and Zahid Ahmed sealed the win for the home team in the first minute of extra-time before the interval.

KPT manager Shah Naeem said he was confident his squad could challenge the stronger sides in the league.

“My team has the ability to win and shock the stronger contenders,” Naeem told The Express Tribune. “I have had the same squad for the last few years, and despite our captain’s absence due to a yellow card against NBP, we managed to pull off a good win.”

Although he was pleased with the win, Naeem said that the balls used by the NBP side for the match were of a lower quality, while ruing that it was an ‘away’ match despite playing at their own stadium.

“It’s confusing and it gives out a strange message,” he said. “The Pakistan Football Federation told us that this was our away match. The pitch was ours but the balls used were from NBP. These details really matter in the long run though.”

The next PPFL match will take place between Baloch FC and Afghan FC on Monday at the KMC Stadium.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2014.

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