Karachi-born front-runner Zeeshan Ali landed the solitary goal, as PIA brushed aside NBP 1-0 in the 166th encounter of Pakistan Premier Soccer League at Garhi Shahue's Railway Stadium, here on Wednesday. Currently sixth in the table, NBP became the first of the 14 participants to complete their quota of 26 matches, registering 35 points with nine wins, eight drawn games and goal counts 45-42.
PIA, who will face Afghan Football Club on 1st December in their 26th and last match, secured 32 points and finally avoided embarrassment of relegation to B-Division next year. PTV had already been relegated while only miracle can save Pak Steel from demotion. The match between two Karachi-based teams on Lahore's soil failed to live upto the expectation.
PIA were the first to force real chance but midfielder Nazeer Ahmed drove the ball into Amir Gul's hand in the 17th minute. NBP's winger Adam came close in the 20th minute but keeper Sultan Ali, who visited with Mian Rizwan Ali-managed PFF XI in Kannur last year, was alert under the bar. The lone goal of the match emerged in the 21st minute.
A product of ancient Keamari Muhammadan Football Club, Zeeshan Ali, who recorded one of the 11th hat-tricks in the event, snatched the ball from midfield, and lobbed it sweetly over onrushing keeper Amir. It was Zeeshan's seventh goal of the event and he is second behind PIA's leading marksman Shakir Lashari (15 goals). NBP's coach Nasir Ismail saw the blunder in Amir's keeping and sent Yasir bin Younus to perform under the bar.
PIA could have scored more but Hanif Majeed failed to time the ball properly in the 34th minute. Hanif is belong to Majeed family whose five brothers are playing in the Leagues: Fareed and Zafar for KPT, Waheed for HBL, Atta for SSGC. Muhammad Ashraf-led NBP forced more chances in the first half but Jamil Ahmed, hat-trick maker in that 5-4 first leg win, failed to beat Sultan in the 23rd minute while Owais and Asif missed opportunities in the 41st and 43rd minute respectively. PIA led 1-0 at interval.
The second session saw both the teams applied defensive strategy and chances were few and far. Adam failed to beat Yasir in the 76th minute and Zeeshan could have scored another but his drive off skipper Nasrullah went wide deep into injury time.
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