|
|
| April 4, 2002 | Thursday | Muharram 20, 1423 |
HBL, NBP advance to semifinals
Pool ‘A’ leaders HBL meet the runners-up of pool ‘B’ PIA at 1.30pm, while pool ‘B’ champions ABL play runners-up of pool ‘A’ NBP at 3.30pm in the semifinals which will be played Friday.
NBP were impressive from the beginning and moved 2-0 ahead with Mohammad Nadeem breaking the ice in the 8th minute. Before the HBL could recover, NBP’s Mohammad Anis was on target four minutes later.
HBL reacted after seven minutes when Haider Hussain struck in the 16th minute and Kashif Jawwad banged the equaliser in the 19th minute.
HBL were once again in trouble just a minute before half time as NBP again forged 3-2 ahead through Sumair Saleem.
After resumption, HBL levelled through a 40th-minute penalty stroke converted by specialist Sohail Abbas.
HBL were put in front for the very first time by Kashif who netted his second in the 43rd minute. Asif Ahmad converted a short corner to restore parity for NBP in the 58th minute.
Holders PIA, after a shock 3-0 defeat by PTCL earlier in a pool match, were held 3-3 by ABL.
The fast paced game started with a Rahim Khan goal that put PIA 1-0 ahead in the 26th minute. ABL replied four minutes later through Mohammad Sarwar.
In the second half, PIA found the cage twice within six minutes, Qamar Ibraheem being the scorer in the 38th and 44th minutes.
ABL put the match on an even keel with Naveed Alam who sounded the board in the 47th minute and Babar Abdullah in the 56th minute.
Wapda, who led the first half 1-0, defeated Army 3-1.
The winners grabbed the lead with a 14th-minute goal from Mudassir Jr who slammed home after a goal mouth melee.
Wapda surged 2-0 ahead when Shahid Rabbani banged home in the 54th minute. Mudassar Ali Khan completed the rout in the 62nd minute.
Army got the consolation in the 63rd minute through Mohammad Imran who converted the penalty stroke.
Irfan Sheikh slammed a second half winner to help Sindh Colours register their second win with a 2-1 win over Police.
Sindh Colours took the lead through Adnan Najam in the 25th minute. The scores were 1-1 when Police’s Javed Iqbal found the net.
PTCL crushed Punjab Colours 4-1. Naeem Akram gave PTCL an early lead scoring in the 12th minute. Shakeel doubled the lead in the 15th minute.
Punjab Colours scored their solitary goal through Naeem Akbar in the 31st minute.
After the break, PTCL pumped in two goals through Shakeel (48th minute), Tariq Aziz (61st minute).
Sindh Whites scored a convincing 8-2 triumph over Punjab Whites after going 1-0 down.
Punjab Colours drew first blood when Ayaz Baig scored in the 5th minute. Rizwan equalised in the 13th minute, while Imran Khan scored in the 30th minute to give Sindh a 2-1 lead.
Sindh Whites stepped up pressure in the second session. Rizwan struck his second goal two minutes into the second half. Mudassar Abbas made it 4-1 in the 43rd minute.
The second and the last goal from Punjab Whites came through Adeel Ahmad who struck in the 53rd minute.
Sindh Whites added four more starting with another Rizwan goal in the 61st minute. Mudassar got his second the very next minute.
A goal each from Rizwan (67th minute) and Mudassir (68th minute) completed the tally.
Points table (tabulated under team, matches played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):
Pool ‘A’
HBL 5 3 2 0 25 7 11
NBP 5 3 2 0 25 10 11
Wapda 5 3 1 1 26 9 10
Army 5 2 2 1 14 10 7
Sindh W 5 1 0 4 10 39 3
Punjab W 5 0 0 5 4 29 0
Pool ‘B’
ABL 5 4 1 0 16 7 13
PIA 5 3 1 1 18 6 10
PTCL 5 2 2 1 10 5 8
Sindh C 5 2 1 2 4 11 7
Police 5 1 1 3 7 9 4
Punjab C 5 0 0 5 3 20 0
|
|
