KP (w) edge POF in Junior Hockey

KARACHI: KP (w) beat Pakistan Ordinance Factory 2-1 in the Junior Championship at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday.

Sindh beat Islamabad 3-0, Punjab (w) defeated Pakistan Board 3-1, and Railways beat Baluchistan 5-1.

The match between KP (w) and POF turned out to be the most entertaining encounter.

Both teams got a penalty corner each in the last minutes. POF got one in the 57th minute but wasted it as their pusher threw the ball on the wrong side.

But KP (w) captain Zahid Ullah availed himself of the opportunity in the 60th minute to earn a well-deserved victory for his team.

Earlier, KP (w) took lead in the 18th minute when Khair Ullah struck a beautiful field goal. POF tried hard to level the score. Their forwards Amjad Rehman, Zeeshan Sadiq, Wajee-ul Hassan and Hamza Naeem launched a number of attacks. Wajeeh and Amjad made a fine move in the 55th minute and earned a penalty corner. Amjad netted the ball on a rebound.

Shabbir Ahmed and Mehmood Ali supervised the match.

Boys from Islamabad frustrated Sindh’s forays in the first two quarters. They gave tough resistance to their opponents who made several moves. Sindh got three penalty corners which goalkeeper Faizan saved courageously.

Sindh’s first two goals were the result of penalty corners which their captain Arslan Haider and Wahab successfully converted in 40th and 45th minutes, respectively.

Hunain struck a beautiful field goal in the 57th minute.

Mohammed Wali and Afsar Ali were the field umpires.

Pakistan Board lost their rhythm after striking the first blow in the 11th minute through Mohammad Murtaza’s field goal.

Two back-to-back beautiful field goals from Arhas Bin Amar helped Punjab (w) recover from the shock. Arhas struck goals in 26th and 27th minutes. Three minutes later (30th minute) Waqar Ali netted the third field goal for his team.

Trailing 3-1, Pakistan Board fought hard and initiated a few attacks but failed to finish. Yasir Khursheed and Abdul Mannan supervised the match.

Balochistan offered little resistance against Railways. Railways scored three goals in the first quarter. Waseem Akram converted a penalty corner in the 2nd minute. In the 8th minute Tanzeem-ul-Hassan struck a field goal.

Mohammed Imran and Awais-ur-Rehman netted field goals in 15th and 21st minutes, respectively. Mohsin Ali converted a penalty corner in the 50th minute. Baluchistan’s consolatory goal was scored by Raheel in the 30th minute.

Anwar and Haroon Rasheed were the field umpires.  Today’s matches: WAPDA vs KP (c), SSGC vs Army, Punjab (c) vs Customs, NBP vs Police.