RAWALPINDI: By showing brilliant performance, Wapda’s forwards saved almost a confirmed defeat at the hands of Pakistan Navy at the Army Hockey Stadium here on Friday.

By scoring three goals during the last ten minutes, Wapda managed to draw their match against well composed Navy, in the Chief of Army Staff Challenge Hockey Cup.

While Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) won their respective matches convincingly.

Navy players dominated the proceedings of the match from the very beginning.

It took five minutes for well-drilled Rashid Mehmood to throw the ball in Wapda’s net on a penalty-corner.

Shahbaz Ahmed doubled the lead in the 33th minute while sixteen minutes later Akbar Ali added another goal for Navy.

The well-composed Navy team entered the final quart with 3-0 lead, however, they could not hold their supremacy as Wapda strikers Waqas Ashraf and Tasawar Abbas made aggressive came back and scored three goals during the last ten minutes to draw the match.

Waqas scored two field goals in 53rd and 59th minutes while Tasawar scored in the 54th minute.

Players of both team showed brilliant speed, stamina and ball control.

Earlier, SSGC beat Army (Junior) 3-0.

Army demonstrated good performance in the opening match of the day against the experienced SSGC, which were led by Olympian Shakeel Abbasi, who scored two goals.

Adnan Ahmed of Army baffled his opponents with his sole moves amid brilliant dribbling on a number of occasions.

Army’s defenders also defended their fort effectively particularly goalkeeper Mohammed Altaf, who saved at least two goal attempts.

In the 23rd minute, SSGC scored their first goal when Yasir Shabbir scored on a pass from Mohammed Zeeshan.

Then, in the last quarter experienced Shakeel Abbasi scored two goals.

PIA, the hot favourites of the tournament, continued their wining spree.

Fullback Kashif Ali scored two goals while Nohaiz Malik and Shafqat Rasool added one each for the winners.

PAF’s lone goal was scored in the 19th minute by their captain Saeed Shah.

Kashif scored the first goal for PIA in the 18th minute and again struck successfully in the 23rd minute.

Nohaiz scored the third goal in the 35th minute while Shafqat netted the fourth goal in the 49th minute.

Shafqat was shown the yellow card for using abusive language.

Published in Dawn January 24th , 2015

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