LAHORE – Abdul Hadi put up brilliant display, scoring two goals, as Afghan FC cruised to a 6-1 win over Sahiwal’s Young Blood at Govt High School, Chaman. The Jadeed Khan-led Afghan FC showed resounding striking power as they sent the ball crashing half a dozen times into Young Blood’s goalpost to register a 6-1 win.
Winger Najeeb Ullah started the onslaught in the 23rd minute when he accelerated on Fazal Ur Rehman’s pass to squeeze the ball into the left corner of the net. Left full Abdul Ali doubled the margin in the 39th minute when he dashed through the middle, side stepped three tackles and steered the ball in. Spearhead Abdul Hadi slammed the first of his two goals in the 41st minute.
Aziz Ullah came into action in the 57th minute when his 20-metre low angular drive went in for the Afghans’ fourth goal. Right winger Fazal Ur Rehman made it 5-0 in the 69th minute when he leaped high over everybody to head into the goal. Hadi struck his second goal in the 78th minute when he raced onto Abdul Ali’s pass to poke the ball gently into the right corner. Young Blood snatched an honor-saving goal in the 90th minute through front runner Asim Mansoor.
It was Afghan’s 12th win in 29 matches, securing 42 points. Young Blood have gathered only 18 points in 29 games and must win their next match against Baloch FC on Tuesday to avoid relegation to lower division. Meanwhile, PMC raised their hopes of playing in first division football in 2011 when they fired a last-gasp goal through their skipper Haroon Yousof to beat Baloch FC 2-1.
PMC landed the opener in the 41st minute and stayed 1-0 up at interval. But they suffered a set back in the 74th minute when Najeeb Ullah struck the equaliser in the 74th minute. The 1-1 draw would not have been enough for PMC, who were jubilant when Haroon Yousuf converted a spot kick in the 89th minute to give them a 2-1 win.
The KESC-Army clash ended in 1-1 draw with Army taking lead in the 44th minute through midfielder Ghulam Mustafa. Army were 1-0 up at breather. But KESC leveled through striker Muhammad Riaz in the 70th minute.
