Late goals help KRL tame POF in Challenge Cup

KARACHI: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) on Saturday blasted their way into the round of 16 when they scored two late goals to beat POF 2-0 in their Group F fourth round fixture of the PFF National Challenge Cup 2023 at the POF Ground in Wah Cantt.

Iftikhar and Waheed hit one goal apiece in the stoppage time to provide third win to KRL.

“Yes it was a hard-earned victory. We missed eight one-to-one chances,” KRL coach Mohammad Essa told ‘The News’.

“Iftikhar’s goal was fantastic as he netted it from a narrow angle. POF also got one chance but thanks God we were lucky to avert that danger at a stage when the game was goalless draw,” said Essa, also a former Pakistan captain.

The win took KRL to the pre-quarter-finals with ten points. POF have three points from four games.

Meanwhile in Group G game at the PAF Sports Complex in Peshawar, PAF crushed WSTC 4-0 to virtually qualify for the round of 16. This was the third win for PAF and they have now ten points with a decent goal-count.

Abdul Samad put PAF ahead in the 46th minute before Essa doubled their lead in the 70th minute. International striker Mansoor Khan added to their tally in the 75th minute before Faisal scoring the fourth goal in the 88th minute.

In Group E fixture at Lahore holders WAPDA were held to a goalless draw by Higher Education Commission (HEC).

This was the third drawn game from WAPDA which moved to six points from four matches.

HEC also moved to six points from four meetings.

In Group D game at Faisalabad Masha United defeated Klash Mills to enhance their round of 16 chances with ten points with two games in hand.

Nadeem struck the lone goal in the stoppage time.

In Group C show at Bahawalpur Railways notched their first win when they beat Ashraf Sugar Mills 1-0 with Asmat Khan scoring the winner.

At Yazdan Khan Model High School Quetta the match between Nimso and PACA ended in a 1-1 draw. Ali Reza put NImso ahead in the 11th minute.

However Manan brought an equalizer for PACA in the 63rd minute. Both teams stretched their points tally to seven.

PACA were missing their two key players from Afghanistan Yar Mohammad and Ibrahimi who have left to join their domestic team camp back at home.