LAHORE – Title favourites PIA and National Bank have qualified for the final of the 58th National Hockey Championship to be played at the Faisalabad Hockey Stadium today. Pakistan Hockey Federation Qasim Zia will be the chief guest of the final and distribute the prizes among the winners.
On Saturday, the two semi-finals were played and the NBP fought hard for a win against WAPDA while PIA surpassed tough challenge posed by the SSGC. Interestingly, both the semi-finals entered extra time and the NBP-WAPDA match went even further when they were locked even in the extra time and the match was decided on penalty shoot out.
The NBP was leading at half time 2-1 but WAPDA leveled the score in the second half and the score remained same till they were asked to play in extra time. That extra 15 minutes brought another one goal each for both the sides with the result being three-all. NBP was lucky to sneak into the final on penalty count. In the second semi-final, also stretched to extra time, PIA and SSGC scored two goals apiece in full time.
PIA were ahead with 2-1 margin but SSGC leveled the score and PIA got the golden goal in the extra time to face NBP in the final. Michel Van Dan Heuvel, Coach of Pakistan hockey team was the chief guest of the first semi-final. The final will be played on February 13.
Results:
1st semi-final: NBP beat WAPDA 6-5 (final result), 4-3 (PS), 2-2 (extra time), 2-2 (full time), 2-1 (half time)
NBP: Naeem Akbar 9th Minute (FG), M. Atiq 2 goals 11th minute (PC) & (PS), M. Tousiq (PS), Kashif Javed (PS) & Akhtar Ali (PS).
WAPDA: Rehan Butt 13th Minute (FG), M. Imran 66th Minute (FG), Aleem (PS), Waqas Sharif (PS) & Waseem Ahmad (PS).
2nd semi-final: PIA beat SSGC 3-2 (extra time), 2-2 (full time), 2-1 (half time)
PIA: Kashif Ali 11th Minute (PC), M. Zubair 24th Minute (FG) & Shafqat Rasool (Capt) golden goal 74th minute (FG).
SSGC: Abbas Haider 2 Goals 27th minute (FG) & 37th minute (PC).
