Pakistan Premier League 2007-08

The 2007/8 season is the 53rd season of Pakistan domestic football and the 4th season of the Pakistan Premier League and will be held from November 1, 2007 to February 6, 2008 under the auspices of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).

Changes

Recently, the PFF made changes to the league. It was announced that the league has been increased to a total of 14 teams with Habib Bank Limited, which was relegated after a pathetic display last season, has also been given permission to field its team. Similarly, Pakistan International Airlines, which had withdrawn its entry from the last year edition at the eleventh hour, will also feature in the coming event.

Format

A total of 182 matches will be played at different venues in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Chaman, and Faisalabad. Peshawar, which was also under consideration to host few matches, has been left out of the venues’ list due to financial constraints. In Karachi, 65 matches would be held, Lahore and Islamabad have got 39 matches each, while Rawalpindi, Chaman and Faisalabad will host 13 matches each.

The winners will represent Pakistan at the 2008 AFC President's Cup. The bottom two teams will be relegated to the Pakistan Football Federation League. Two teams will be promoted to the PPL.

The matches will be held at 1:00 and 3:00 pm respectively on home and away basis. This time the winning bonus will be Rs 500,000, the runners-up team will receive Rs 300,000 while the third position holder will receive Rs 100,000. All matches are likely to be supervised by neutral referees.

The 2007/08 Season

The championship went to the final day of the season, with a top of the table clash between Army and WAPDA, with Army only needing a draw to retain the title. WAPDA went on to win 2-1, winning their second PPL, and became the first team to go undefeated in the PPL season. WAPDA forward Arif Mehmood ended up top scorer with 21 goals. Amir Qureshi of KRL won the best goalkeeper award, while left back Mohammed Imran of Army was adjudged Most Valuable Player. PTV FC won the Fair Play trophy.

Wohaib FC and Pakistan Railways FC were relegated to the PFF League and replaced next season by PFF League winners PEL FC and former national champions Pakistan Steel FC who also were promoted.

Final Standings

"Two Wohaib FC matches changed to 3-0 defeats due to fielding an ineligible player."

Champions

PPL 2007/08 Statistics

Matches: 180

Outright Decisions: 124

Drawn Games: 56

Goals: 448

Leading Scorers :
* Arif Mehmood (WAPDA) 21
* Zulfiqar Ali Shah (WAPDA) 18
* Imran Hussain (Army) 17
* Shakir Lashari (PIA) 10,
* Ishtiaq Ahmed (HBL) 10
* Abdul Rehman (KPT ) 10
* Farooq Shah (NBP) 9
* Muhammad Essa (KRL) 9
* Muhammad Qasim (KRL) 9

Hat-Tricks (9)

* Adeel Ahmed (KRL) v PTV at Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad on 19 November 2007

* Abdul Rehman (KPT) v Railways at CDGK stadium, Karachi on 22 November 2007

* Imran Hussain (Army) v PTV at Army Stadium on 24 November 2007

* Nomi Martin Gill (Navy) v HBL at Peoples Sports Complex, Karachi on 10 December 2007

* Muhammad Rasool (KRL) v NBP at KRL Stadium on 26 December 2007

* Zulfiqar Ali Shah (WAPDA) v Wohaib FC on 5 January 2008 at Railway Stadium

* Arif Mehmood (WAPDA) v Wohaib FC on 5 January 2008 at Railway Stadium

* Arif Mehmood (WAPDA) v HBL on 13 January 2008 at Railway Stadium

* Yasir Afridi (KRL) v Afghan FC on 15 January 2008 at KRL Stadium

Quickest Goal: Muhammad Essa (KRL) vs HBL on 12 Dec 2007 at Peoples Stadium …43rd seconds

Most Goals by team: 64 by WAPDA

Team scoring least goals: 15 by Wohaib FC

Team conceding most goals: 57 by Wohaib FC

Team conceding least goals: 10 by Army

External links

* [http://www.pff.com.pk Pakistan Football Federation]
* [http://www.footballpakistan.com FootballPakistan.com]
* [http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=71892 PFF announces changes to Premier League - The News]
* [http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=77982 More changes in League - The News]
* [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008