KARACHI, Aug 11: Customs overcame a late PTCL charge to reach the All-Pakistan Governor’s Gold Cup hockey semifinals after a 3-2 victory at Hockey Club of Pakistan on Thursday.

After remaining goalless, the winners broke the deadlock three minutes before halftime when Atif Mushtaq converted a penalty stroke.

PTCL replied with an equaliser two minutes into the second half through Atif Yaqoob while Customs went 2-1 ahead, again through an Atif penalty stroke in the 43rd minute.

Mazhar Ali pulled the third for Customs in the 61st minute. But just when Customs seemed to be in a better position, PTCL once again threatened just 60 seconds later with a Shahzad Nasir goal, but lucky Customs walked away victors in the end.

Two goals each by Owais Moeed, Mohammad Nadeem and Haseem Khan helped National Bank (NBP) give Pakistan Navy a hockey lesson with a 8-3 thrashing as sailors late efforts in the second session proved futile.

The bankers got off to a flying start with a Nadeem goal in the second minute of the first half followed by a Haseem Khan effort three minutes later.

It was in the 13th minute that Navy came close to scoring but Jameel Khan’s hit missed the target. On the other hand, bankers were kept at bay when Haseem’s try was stopped by Navy defender Sajid Ahmad in the 17th minute.

A full-blooded hit by Asif Ahmad from the top of the circle saw NBP scoring their third in the 24th minute. The bankers compounded sailors’ miseries who conceded three goals within a space of three minutes.

Mohammad Anis slammed home from the top of the semi-circle in the 29th minute, while Owais took time before unleashing a ferocious rising hit past Navy goalkeeper Qaiser Imran in the 31st minute. Owais got his double when his cross near the backline went in off Navy defender Waqasul Haq stick three minutes before break.

The bankers commenced the second half like they had started the first, Haseem finding the cage seconds after re-start. Nadeem converted a 38th-minute short corner to make it 8-0.

When it seemed it was over, Navy came back into the game to reduce the margin in the 44th minute through a Mohammad Imran penalty corner conversion. Imran was again on target off a Jameel Khan pass in the 55th minute.

Navy could have scored two more goals but were unlucky as first Imran rattled the woodwork and then Jameel shook the post.

After pressing hard for another goal, sailors eventually got their third through 66th-minute Mohammad Ansar short corner but the efforts proved nothing but consolation.

After a day’s rest on Friday, Steel Mills meet PIA at 2.30pm and Customs face NBP at 4.30pm in the semifinals on Saturday.