The Green Machine was up to their butt kicking antics as they pulverized Shukr to a 4-1 score. The victory crawls Ikhlas within sniffing distance of clinching first place, but that's all contingent on how the Zuhd-Yaqeen results transpire come game day. Ikhlas has gradually sculpted into a contending team headed into the playoffs, hence this battle versus Haya will be a perfect litmus test to evaluate Ikhlas's season long progress. Despite a few hiccups, Khalid Mufti continues to show confidence in net and that's allowed the Green Machine's defensive core to craft "artistic" transitional plays. Will Ikhlas be able to avenge their previous loss to Haya?
Coach K's team has religiously churned out points night after night and continue to rule the tier two roost. It was a close call with Zuhd, but the persistence of Aazar Zafar ultimately paid off as the stud forward actuated his team from a déjàvu loss by the hands of the purple shirts. In their last three games Haya has earned ties and that's raised an eyebrow amongst the critics. Lack of finishing is one reason, but Haya's habit of trailing till the final minutes is a issue that needs attention. Gone are the days where the grey shirts would make a mockery out of each team they played, cause now they've slowly been exposed. Can Haya rectify things before the playoffs start?
Player To Watch:
Ikhlas's unsung hero is Atif Mian. The frisky forward has been a solid patron to the Green Machine's offensive cohort.
Who's Hot?
Aazar Zafar pulled all the rabbits out of the hat and saved his team's fate by bubbling up a two goal performance.
Ridha vs Shukr
It was a loss for Ridha to forget and Yaqeen and Shukr to cherish. The Orangemen could've seal the deal but consequently succumbed to a painstaking 2-1 loss. Let's sidetrack the Yaqeen result and focus on this week. Who the heck would've thought that fate has radiated so much value in the final regular season game for both camps. Both teams have their advantages and while I won't side with any of these squads I'll sum it up. Goaltending wins games, and if you have a keeper that can steal games than you're chances of winning are gleamming. Ridha has a point to prove and will exploit Talib Contractor and Farooq Sani to the last drop. GM Zaid Mahmood will have to calm the nerves of his squad and focus on the bigger picture. Yasir Hussain can play under pressure and I can attest to that, but does he have the defence that can bail him out? Will Ridha be able to out muscle Shukr? The Orangemen have had difficulty getting goals so it's time for Imran Lakhanpal and Amad Khan to step it if they wanna see the other side of the rainbow.
When Yaqeen beat Ridha, GM Ahmad Ibrahim was grinning like the Cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland and man he couldn't stop. I can imagine the emotional roller coaster that Shukr was enduring behind the glass, but now it's game time. Shukr is looking to earn their second win of the season and they'll need everyone's synergy. Climbing that mountain won't be easy when your goal scoring is yearning for some variety but most importantly consistency. Sure there's a lot of hustlers on the Blue Battalion that don't know the meaning of stop but how many of them are intuitive enough to get the job done? The same question applies to Ridha. Netminder Sadiq Rehman's goaltending has been a head scratcher. Sometimes he's awesome and busier than the 401 on a Friday night but sometime you wonder if you should just jump in net. Regardless, if Shukr wants to tango with the big boys then only a win will suffice. I can't explain how monumental the first goal will be in this game. Can Shukr out hustle Ridha? Good luck to both teams!
Player To Watch:
This will be a goaltending campaign for both teams. Let's see what kind of a show can Yasir Hussain and Sadiq Rehman craft out?
Who's Hot
Neither team has ignited anything last game. At the end of this game, one team will be hot.
Yaqeen vs Zuhd
The Winter Warriors had no business beating Ridha last week, but what could I say, we just couldn't resist. Wearing the spoiler mask, Yaqeen came in full force and had a helping hand as stalwart Abdul Aziz Rasoul and the diligent Furhan Azmat returned to the lineup. While Yaqeen handed the arduous loss to Ridha, cheers from the Shukr team can be heard in the backdrop. Since this game versus Zuhd is merely formalities in concluding the season, expect the Winter Warriors to utilize this winning momentum and refraining Zuhd from evening thinking of clinching first place. Can Kamran Siddiqui and Imdad Ali stump Zuhd's hellbent runners?
Zuhd is a mean team. Not only do they give their opponents hissy fits, their tenacity is the primary reason to their achievements. The purple shirts almost clipped Haya's wings for a second time but swivelled off the winning road and settled for a 3-3 draw. While Naeem Akhtar has soared up the leaderboard, GM Fahad Malik has revived his scoring touch and added some flavour to the assortment of point getters amidst this squad. Zuhd has been paramount upfront and their defense has been tighter than old Mother Hubbard's cupboard. Goaltender Rizwan Ali probably isn't used to this luxury defence and hasn't been occupied as previous seasons. Can Yaqeen keep Rizwan Ali on his heels? Or will Zuhd walk all over Yaqeen again?
Player To Watch:
Goaltender Saboor Mian played his heart out last game and it's anticipated he'll hit the repeat button versus Zuhd.
Who's Hot?
Naeem Akhtar looks to build on his points and might take the scoring race crown, unless Yaqeen has better plans.
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