February 16, 2008	Saturday	Safar 08, 1429

PESHAWAR, Feb 15: PIA edged past Pakistan Army 2-0 to clinch the National Hockey Championship here at the Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium on Friday.

The final started on fast note and Army attacked from the outset by striking the PIA goal-post in the very first minute as Muhammad Ramzan narrowly missed the net.

PIA got the lead through Zubair in the 13th minute when he got a pass from outside left Yasir Islam at the top of the circle and netted it nicely to makeit 1-0.

Army then got three consecutive penalty corners but failed to convert any of them due to poor coordination from their forwards while PIA goal-keeper Nasir Ahmed thwarted all attempts.

PIA then scored its second goal in the 48th minute when Shafqat Rasool netted a superb goal after dodging past three defenders inside the 25-yard area.

Armymen kept up the pressure after conceding the lead but failed to impress in their scoring skills.

In the third position match NBP, the last time winner, defeated Pakistan Wapda by 3-0 in a one-sided affairs. NBP took the lead in the 24th minute through Tariq Aziz and five minutes later, Mohammad Ateeq made it 2-0 by scoring a field goal. NBP was leading 2-0 by half-time.

Wapda, after conceding two goals in the first-half, struggled to find its feet as the bankers slammed in their third goal through Tariq Aziz in the 51st minute.

Hidayatullah and Munawar supervised the match.—APP