National Hockey semis WAPDA face PIA as SSGC take on NBP

KARACHI: WAPDA qualified for the semi-finals of National Hockey Championships when they held SSGC to a draw at National Hockey Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday.

Army had to beat SNGPL with a six-goal margin and then see WAPDA losing to SSGC in the last encounter. The soldiers did their job magnificently, defeating SNGPL 7-1, but WAPDA achieved the minimum requirement to move to the last-four stage when they held SSGC to a 2-2 draw.

The first semi-final will be played between PIA and WAPDA and the second between SSGC and National Bank of Pakistan. The first begins at 11am on Tuesday (tomorrow) and the second at 2pm.

The second qualifier for the semi-finals from the Pool B was only determined when the final whistle of the last match, between WAPDA and SSGC, was blown.

In the first 15 minutes of the match between Army and SNGPL, there was no indicator of the events to come. Both the sides had phases of ascendancy and entered the opposition’s circle but there was no attempt on the goal.

The second quarter was electrifying. The first five minutes witnessed many attempts from both sides.

The last 10 minutes were completely dominated by the soldiers. On their first penalty corner, the ball remained in the circle for some time with a little ping pong. Eventually, promising forward Nauman netted it by flicking a risen ball.

Soon, a good attack saw a parallel pass near the goal line on circle’s left side availed by well-positioned Abbas.

Army made it 3-0 in the 29th minute. Yasir sprinted into the circle and his seemingly weak push surprisingly went in off a defender’s stick.

The young SNGPL, making their debut at the Nationals, rallied well in the third quarter. They had more goal-scoring opportunities though only one was availed. Dawood beautifully first timed a good ball into the circle.

With only two goals ahead, and 15 minutes left, Army’s hopes to keep the semi-final dream alive were fading.

Apart from Pakistan’s former captain M Imran and current national star M Rizwan Sr, Army too had a youthful team.

After an SGPL attempt rebounded off the pole, it was all Army domination. They repeatedly penetrated the opponents’ defence, especially from the right flank.

In the 50th minute, after a wonderful run along the right flank, the ball was back passed to Nauman, who had all the time to make it 4-1. The fifth goal was a mirror image of the previous. Nauman completed his hat-trick. 

An excellent one-touch move found Jabbar slotting the ball into the goal from a close range.

Army required one more to achieve the objective. It came to the final minute. An excellent long ball from Rizwan Sr was well trapped on the left flank. An equally good feed-in was pushed into the cage by Jabbar again.

For WAPDA the minimum requirement was a draw. SSGC, already qualified, still went for a victory and it was a competitive match throughout.

WAPDA started in earnest and had the upper hand most of the first quarter; they made two good attempts on the goal apart from earning two penalty corners. But it finished 0-0.

They were one up in the 18th minute when diminutive Asad Bashir, unmarked at the top of the circle, scored after receiving an excellent flat backhander from the left.

SSGC made an instant comeback; not only equalising but going ahead within the next two minutes. Rizwan Ali’s inch-perfect long pass was shot into the net by under-18 international Naveed Alam in the flash of an eye. Rana Sohail sent in an excellent diagonal through ball from the left. Adeel, another promising under-18 international, was brought down by the advancing goalkeeper. The umpire had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty stroke spot. Abbas Haider sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. It was 2-1 in favour of SSGC.

But soon SSGC had a severe setback as their captain Olympian Adnan Maqsood had to leave the field after receiving a nasty injury to the nose.

WAPDA were now faster in their attacks but SSGC defended well. Their net minder Amjad Ali effected a couple of fine saves.

Looking for the much needed equaliser, WAPDA sent in veteran Waseem early in the second half.

They exerted sustained pressure with good moves.

After the fourth PC was dramatically deflected away by the line stopper, the leveller arrived off the next PC in the 43rd minute. Aleem Bilal’s stinger thundered against the top left of the net.

The absorbing battle continued in the last 15 minutes with both the sides going forward. SSGC had the only real opportunity. Their only PC of the day was well cleared by the line stopper. It ended 2-2, much to the relief of WAPDA.