Top teams win in National Junior Hockey

ISLAMABAD: Leading teams got off to a winning start in the 37th National Junior Hockey Championship that started at the Bunda Hockey Ground Wednesday.

Army, Navy and Punjab Reds all won their matches easily in the championship that is being organised following a five years of gap.

Over 300 players representing 16 different teams will be seen competing in the championship being organised by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). On the first day, Army comfortably secured 6-1 victory over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa A. Awaisullah and Muhammad Awais netted a brace each.

In another one-sided encounter, Punjab Reds overwhelmed Sindh with a crushing 9-1 win. Adeel Afzal, Ali Taj, and Shahid Akash scored two goals each to lead Punjab Reds to victory.

Navy were on the goal-scoring spree against Pakistan Education Board (PEB) winning by 12-2. Muhammad Usman performed a hat-trick, netting four goals in all while Muhammad Atif added three for Navy.

Islamabad and Punjab Yellow match ended in a 1-1 draw. Punjab’s Ali Azam scored through a penalty corner in the first quarter to give his side the lead.

Islamabad’s Sikandar Zubair equalised in the third quarter with a well-placed field goal.

Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah will officially declare the championship open today (Thursday). The quarter-finals of the championship will take place on October 2, with the semi-finals scheduled for October 4 and the final for October 5.