LAHORE, Jan 28: Fast-moving skipper and spearhead Asif Mehmood’s brace helped Punjab outwit giant killers FATA 4-0 to enter the final of the third National Under-21 Soccer Championship on Wednesday. They will face PEL, who kept their lone goal alive till full time against NWFP, in Friday’s final.

Both semi-finals of the 11-team event were played at the PSB Ground near Hamidi Hall, Islamabad. The first semi-final saw Lahore-based PEL brushing aside NWFP 1-0 with the solitary goal emerging in the 24th minute.

Right-full Mohammad Sher cut the ball across the area. NWFP’s defenders failed to understand its bounce and Swat-born Ibrahim Khan, steered it past keeper Saqib Hanif. PEL might have scored another goal in the 32nd minute but Mohammad Rahat failed to capitalise on the defensive blunder. The 1-0 score line at interval remained so till the final whistle.

Later, in the second semi-final, Punjab cut giant killers FATA to size with a 4-0 score line. Just 37 minutes into play and Punjab were leading 3-0. They got a dream start when they surged ahead in the sixth minute. A dreadful mixup between keeper Fakhr-e-Alam and deep defender Mohammad Hanif allowed Asif Mehmood the space to dash through and scooped the ball into the empty net.

Punjab consolidated the lead in the 28th minute when NWFP failed to clear the ball from the danger area following a corner and Lahore-born Abdul Waqas fired it in the right corner past the keeper.

Punjab’s third goal was scored by left winger Zafarullah Javed. Right-full Atif Hussain curled the ball inside the area and Zafar rose high above everybody to head it in.

FATA, who knocked out holders Wohaib FC in the quarter-finals, were off colour. After leading 3-0 at interval, Punjab completed the demolition in the 66th minute when Asif Mehmood struck his second goal.

The semi-finals were supervised by FIFA referees Jehangir Khan and Imtiaz Ali Shah.—Agencies