Wapda edge past Army, SSGC stun PIA in quarters: National Hockey Championship
It was just seconds before finish that umpire Shoaib Riffat gave what he believed was a foul by an Army player on a penalty corner. While the two sides were deadlocked at 1-1 and the 70-minute regulation time was completed, Army were about to complete the short corner awarded before the final whistle at Hockey Club of Pakistan.
Shoaib signalled that short corner had been completed when, according to him, the Army player committed a foul by “dodging” as he swerved his body a few times.
The quarter-final, which also saw two yellow cards to Army in the second half, was decided on sudden death when Majid found the net on a penalty corner just two minutes into first session of the extra time.
Earlier, during the stipulated time, the two sides couldn’t break the ice for full 30 minutes. Army finally drew first blood when Ramzan slotted home.
Army were then reduced to ten players when Azhar was temporarily suspended in the 49th minute, while Mohammad Javed was yellow-carded in the 56th minute for a serious foul.
Former Pakistan captain Waseem Ahmad of Wapda converted a penalty corner to restore parity.Four-goal Kashif Ali, who slammed a scintillating hat-trick, guided Steel Mills into last four after they overpowered a fighting Habib Bank 5-3.
Steel Mills were 1-0 up through Imran Malik with the game just two minutes old. The bankers took only six minutes to equalise when Rashid Imran found the target.
Unimpressed, the winners went 3-1 ahead with ease as Kashif banged the backboard in the 19th and 24th minute on penalty corners. The promising short corner striker completed his treble eight minutes into second half.
Still fighting, HBL reduced the margin with a 56th-minute strike by promising Shahbaz Ali before Kashif completed the tally with his fourth in the 64th minute. The bankers fought hard to level but all they could do was to finish the game with a 5-3 score-line after their third through Shahbaz two minutes from time.
Aided by a hat-trick by former Pakistan penalty corner striker Sohail Abbas, SSGC also reached semi-finals after a 5-3 victory against defending champions PIA.
Having an array of Pakistan players, SSGC moved 1-0 ahead in the 6th minute when Sohail netted his first, while Imran Khan levelled for defending champions on a short corner in the 11th minute.
The winners should have gone ahead but Shabbir Ahmad’s full-blooded hit was well stopped by Nasir Ahmad in the 16th minute. Shabbir then wasted an Ishtiaq Mobeen pass in the 21st minute. Just eight minutes later, it was Ishtiaq who squandered a perfect opportunity after being assisted by Shabbir.
Sohail finally came up with his second a minute before halftime whistle. Although it seemed that SSGC would leave for lemons break with 2-1 lead, PIA put the game on an even keel when Saleem Amir rifled home on a penalty stroke in the dying seconds of the opening session.
Sohail completed his hat trick in the 40th minute with a strong push past former Pakistan captain Ahmad Alam who replaced Nasir in the second half which saw three goals from SSGC.
Shabbir was well on target with a reverse flick taking advantage of slack PIA defence in the 43rd minute. Shabbir found the cage with yet another reverse hit in the 55th minute for his double.
PIA showed some resilience when Ihsanullah scored with an along-the-carpet push in the 63rd minute.
National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) outplayed dark horse Karachi 3-0 to qualify for last four.
Imran Warsi opened the account for the bankers on a 2nd-minute short corner, while Adnan Maqsood doubled the lead with a penalty corner conversion a minute before break. Mohammad Nadeem completed the tally with a 64th-minute strike.
Thursday will be a rest day. Steel Mills meet NBP in the first semi-final at 2.00pm, while Wapda face SSGC at 4.00pm on Friday.