By By Alam Zeb Safi
The output of both the showdowns was identical as Army ousted PEL 1-0 and the same was the case with KRL, who defeated PMC Athletico with the same 1-0 margin. Both Army and KRL have so far played 18 matches.
Defending champions WAPDA and Navy are the other teams who are fighting hard for a golden finish.
At the Model Town Football Academy Ground in Lahore, Army, who are used to playing in better manner on the larger pitch, had to face problems in adjusting on the short ground. Right from the first whistle, both sides played in cautious fashion and the strikers found it difficult to pick gaps to get through.
Soldiers got the first better opportunity in the 37th minute but their frontline failed to avail of it due to poor finishing.
Soon after the breather the inform goalie Jaffar Khan smartly saved his team from heavy blow with a diving save. At a stage, when just few moments were left in the game, Army got a free-kick and young defender Muhammad Sharif ran excitement in the visitors' camp with a super goal. With the loss, PEL have 23 points from 18 meetings.
Meanwhile, at the Agriculture University Ground in Faisalabad, midfielder Mudassir Saeed hit the lone goal in the 19th minute to provide a thin 1-0 triumph to KRL, who are yet to win the prime domestic event.
KRL seemed in fine touch and mostly produced solid rallies with sharp ground passes which disturbed the hosts a lot. KRL were lucky to score the lone goal through the talented Mudassir Saeed, who hit it from the edge of the circle.
With the loss, PMC Athletico are struggling with 18 points from the same number of appearances. Today's fixtures: HBL v Navy, PIA v PAF, KESC v NBP.