National Hockey Championship PIA set to collide with NBP in final today

KARACHI: Defending champions PIA and NBP emerged victorious in the semi-finals of the 63rd Zaitoon National Hockey Championships at National Hockey Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday.

PIA defeated WAPDA 6-4 in an ill-tempered semi-final. But the two teams provided spectators with an entertaining competition.

The first-half ended on 1-1 and saw tempers flaying as three yellow cards were flashed.

PIA’s goal came off a penalty corner variation in the 6th minute. Zubair, standing close to the right pole, easily guided the ball in.

The WAPDA equaliser arrived in the 18th minute when a well-measured ball from Ejaz was timed by Rana Umair into the board.

WAPDA were off to a brilliant start in the second half as Ejaz scored a brace within five minutes of play.

After a captivating passing move, Ejaz hooked the ball into the net for his first goal. He then collected a long aerial pass and his hit found the target through Imran Butt’s pads.

PIA then made a remarkable recovery and scored three goals in a five-minute spell.

In the 38th minute, a penalty stroke was awarded to PIA and Kashif Ali beat the goal keeper to score. In the next minute, it was 3-3 as Shafqat Rasool, in a beautiful horizontal run from the left side, eliminated two defenders before shooting the ball into the net.

In the 43rd minute, another penalty stroke was availed by Kashif in an identical manner.

The next quarter saw more drama. WAPDA raided the PIA circle, Asad Shabbir’s reverse hit was padded by the custodian and veteran Waseem netted off the rebound.

At 4-4, it was all to play for in the last 15 minutes. WAPDA applied early pressure with repeated inroads into the circle. But PIA scored via their fourth PC. The power behind Kashif’s flat push carried the ball over the goal line and into the net.

In the 54th minute, PIA doubled the advantage. A minus from a right flank foray was superbly thundered into the cage by Shafqat Rasool with a tomahawk.

In the last five minutes, WAPDA made frequent circle penetrations without being able to score.

Legendary batsman Zaheer Abbas was the chief guest of the match.

In the second semi-final, NBP hammered SSGC by 2-0.

NBP took the lead when a swift move initiated by NBP’s Atiq was well-finished by Dilber. The bankers continued to have the better of exchanges in the first quarter.

But SSGC came back strongly in the next quarter but failed to make any use of the four penalty corners awarded to them. NBP carried the slender lead into the second half.

SSGS’s promising teenager Adeel, after a mesmerizing dribbling run, saw his effort saved by NBP’s custodian.

In the 35th minute, NBP doubled their lead after raiding from the right flank. The initial attempt was padded away by the goal keeper but Ammad Butt pounced on the rebound to make it 2-0.

NBP, with a number of players from Pakistan’s current under-21 squad, were well in control for the remainder of the match and finished victors. 

The Governor Punjab Rafique Rajwana will be the chief guest for final to be played on Wednesday (today).