WAPDA out of quarters race in hockey

KARACHI: WAPDA, runners-up of the National Championship, lost the race to reach the quarter-finals of the Chief of the Army Staff Challenge Hockey Cup on Monday as they drew their crucial match against Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) 2-2 at the Army Hockey Stadium in Rawalpindi.
It was a do-or-die game for WAPDA as they needed a win to stay alive in the race for the last-eight stage.
Having world-record holder Sohail Abbas, Olympians Tasawar Abbas, Khalid Bhatti and Waqas Sharif, WAPDA were confident to beat SSGC who had only Shakeel Abbasi from among the senior players in their ranks.
In the 7th minute, SSGC managed to get a penalty corner which was converted by Shakeel Abbasi on a rebound.
Yasir Shabbir scored SSGC’s second goal in the 37th minute.
WAPDA bounced back with a furious counter attack and earned a penalty corner in the 38th minute, which was converted by Mohammad Imran.
In the 43rd minute, WAPDA’s Waqas Sharif scored a field goal to level the scores.
In another match, a hat-trick by national team captain Mohammed Imran guided Army Seniors to a win against PAF.
After experiencing an early jolt, Army hardly faced any trouble from PAF throughout the match.
PAF forwards Adnan and Farhan launched an aggressive move in the first quarter, earning a penalty corner in the 10th minute, which was beautifully struck by Mudassar.
In the 14th minute, a combination of Hammad Dar, Mohammed Rizwan and Mohammed Zeeshan earned the first penalty corner for Army, which Imran beautifully struck.
Zeeshan, Jabbar and Habibur Rehman got another penalty corer in the 23rd minute which was neatly converted by Imran.
The match between Punjab and Police also ended in a draw.
Police were winning till the last minutes of the last quarter, but a 57th minute goal on a penalty corner enabled Punjab to draw the match.
Punjab opened the account with a 8th minute goal by Mohammed Adnan which was leveled by Ayub in the 15th minute.
Police took lead through a goal on a penalty corner struck by Hassan Obaid in the 53d minute which was leveled by Amir Ali of Punjab in the 57th minute.