KESC overcame a spirited SSGC 4-3, while Wapda and Port Qasim score 2-0 wins in national hockey.-File photo by APP
KARACHI A second-half match-winner by three-goal Aleem Bilal gave KESC a thrilling 4-3 victory over a battling SSGC in the national hockey championship at Hockey Club of Pakistan on Sunday.

The topsy-turvy match got off to an explosive start when the winners went 1-0 through Aleem's penalty corner conversion just five minutes into opening half.

SSGC equalised in the 19th minute when Shabbir Ahmad came into action only to see their effort being cancelled out by KESC three minutes later by Akbar Ali.

Aleem was once again on target seconds before the halftime whistle to make it 3-1.

SSGC changed gear after lemon time and fought back to score twice to put the game on an even keel. First Mudassir Abbas converted a 47th-minute penalty corner and then Saleem Khalid leveled the scores in the 51st minute on a field effort.

The see-saw match once again tilted in KESC's favour when Aleem slotted home the winner through another penalty corner in the 52nd minute.

Although SSGC mounted pressure in the dying moments of the game and forced several penalty corners, they failed to equalise.

In yet another unimpressive performance, Wapda scored a 2-0 win over minnows Pakistan Navy in a match which saw penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas once again giving a pathetic performance.

Having no less than seven current or former Pakistan stars, Wapda remain goalless as they struggled through the first half with a weak forward-line which failed to penetrate into Navy circle.

Wapda finally opened the scoring through Asif Michael who slammed on a field effort before being called back on the bench in the 43rd minute.

Although Wapda's forwards were battling hard to force a penalty corner, all they got was a single short corner in the 54th minute. Sohail, who is still trying to get rid of the jinx after a pathetic show at recent World Cup, rattled the crossbar. As the ball landed on the line, Waqas Sharif finished off the job to score the second goal.

Port Qasim Authority registered a 2-0 win against HBL.

The winners went ahead with a 30th-minute strike by Malik Shakeel Ahmad before grabbing their second through former Pakistan centre-forward Kashif Jawwad.

Monday's fixtures

NBP v KESC at 2.00pm; SSGC v PAF at 3.30pm; PIA v Army at 5.00pm.

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