Wapda won the title of National U21 Hockey Championship outshining National Bank of Pakistan 2-0 in the final on Thursday at Faisalabad’s Hockey Stadium. Wapda struck one goal each in both the halves to outsmart bankers who appeared a pale shadow in the day’s match compared to their earlier sterling performance in pool matches of the event.
Wapda produced a higher brand of hockey stretching their both flanks feeding the mid field with time to time passes and drawing up different strategies to penetrate in Bankers territory. Bankers lacked in basic drills of the game and provided enough space to their opponents to advance into the circle for goal scoring attempts. Asad Bashir produced the 12th minute field goal and Muhammad Munir enlarged the lead with the 63rd minute field goal. Sui Southern Gas Company were locked in a 1-1 draw at half time against PIA which failed to rise in the following session and lost the match. Arslan Sherazi scored the 9th minute goal in a field move as airlines equalized with the 20th minute goal scored by Rizwan Ali. Two minutes into second half, PIA gave a big surprise to SSGC by restoring edge after receiving a field goal from Nohaiz Malik. SSGC hit back quickly when Sohail scored a penalty corner goal in the very next minute and Mohammad Asif netted a field goal, one minute before the close of the play to herald SSGC victory. Maj. Gen. (retd) Muhammad Akram Sahi, President Athletics Federation of Pakistan was the Chief Guest on the occasion and gave away the prizes.
