The 2007/8 season is the 53rd season of Pakistan domestic football and the 4th season of the Pakistan Premier League

Pakistan Premier League

The Pakistan Premier League is the first division of Pakistani football. It was established in 2004, in place of the National Championship by the Pakistan Football Federation.-Origins:...

and was held from November 1, 2007 to February 6, 2008 under the auspices of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)

Pakistan Football Federation

The Pakistan Football Federation is the governing body of football in Pakistan. The PFF’s headquarters is at FIFA Football House in Lahore, Punjab near the Punjab Stadium.-Overview:...

.

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

HBL FC

HBL FC are a Pakistani football club based in Karachi who play in the Pakistan Premier League. The club was formed in 1975 by the Habib Bank, hence the nickname, the Bankers....

, which was relegated after a pathetic display last season, has also been given permission to field its team. Similarly, Pakistan International Airlines

PIA FC

PIA are a Pakistani football club who play in the Pakistan Premier League. Founded in 1958 and based in Karachi, the Pakistan International Airlines affiliated team are the most successful Pakistani football club, winning the national championship a record 9 times.Their first championship came in...

, which had withdrawn its entry from the last year edition at the eleventh hour, will also feature in the coming event.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

AFC President's Cup

The AFC President's Cup is an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation .-Competition format:...

. 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

Wohaib FC

Hafiz Wohaib Butt Memorial Football Club or simply Wohaib FC are a football club playing in the Pakistan Premier League. The club is based in the city of Lahore....

 and Pakistan Railways FC

Pakistan Railways FC

The Pakistan Railways are a Pakistani football club from Lahore who play in the Pakistan Premier League and play at the Railway Stadium. Nicknamed the Railwaymen, they are one of the oldest football clubs in Pakistan and were created by the railway workers on the Pakistan Railway.In 1969, they beat...

 were relegated to the PFF League and replaced next season by PFF League winners PEL FC

PEL FC

PEL FC is a Pakistani football club based in Lahore that competes in Pakistan Premier League. It is affiliated with Pakistani appliance and electronics company Pak Elektron Limited....

 and former national champions Pakistan Steel FC

Pakistan Steel FC

Pakistan Steel FC is a Pakistani football club affiliated with Pakistan Steel Mills and is based outside the city of Karachi in the Pakistan Steel Township....

 who also were promoted.

Final standings

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

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
  Imran Hussain
  Imran Hussain , is a Pakistani footballer playing currently for Pakistan Army FC. He is also a member of the Pakistan national football team and debuted against India in 2005. Imran Hussain was also the top scorer of the Pakistan Premier League with 21 goals in the 2005 season.-References:...
  
   (Army) 17
• Shakir Lashari (PIA) 10,
• Ishtiaq Ahmed (HBL) 10
• Abdul Rehman (KPT ) 10
• Farooq Shah
  Farooq Shah
  Farooq Shah is a Pakistani footballer, who plays for NBP FC. He is also a member of Pakistan national football team.Shah plays as a Midfielder...
  
   (NBP) 9
• Muhammad Essa
  Muhammad Essa
  Muhammad Essa Khan is a Pakistani footballer playing currently for KRL FC. The striker is also the captain of Pakistan national football team and is one of the most talented football players Pakistan has seen in recent times...
  
   (KRL) 9
• Muhammad Qasim
  Muhammad Qasim
  Muhammad Qasim is a Pakistani footballer, who plays for KRL FC. He is also a member of Pakistan national football team.Qasim is a forward who can also play as a right-winger...
  
   (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
  Imran Hussain
  Imran Hussain , is a Pakistani footballer playing currently for Pakistan Army FC. He is also a member of the Pakistan national football team and debuted against India in 2005. Imran Hussain was also the top scorer of the Pakistan Premier League with 21 goals in the 2005 season.-References:...
  
   (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

Muhammad Essa

Muhammad Essa Khan is a Pakistani footballer playing currently for KRL FC. The striker is also the captain of Pakistan national football team and is one of the most talented football players Pakistan has seen in recent times...

(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

• Pakistan Football Federation
• PFF announces changes to Premier League - The News
• More changes in League - The News
• WAPDA down Army 2-1 to clinch title