KARACHI: District Central and district Malir stormed into the final of the Olympian Shahbaz Ahmed five-a-side floodlit KHA Inter-district hockey league after winning their respective semi-finals at the KHA Sports Complex on Wednesday.

Pool A champions district Central registered an emphatic 13-7 victory over district South, who finished runners-up in pool B.

Four-goal Ali Hussain led the team from the front as Mohammad Ali, Abrar Khan and Imran Khan chipped in two goals apiece. Anas Siddiqui, Mohammad Imran and Asad Jafri added one goal each to the winners tally.

Sibtain Raza (3), M. Sharjeel (2), M. Rizwan and Hasnain Solangi one apiece, earned the scoring honours for the losers.

District Central goal-keeper Asad Ejaz earned Man of the Match award for foiling a number of attempts under the bar.

In another semi-final, district Malir emerged pool B champions by getting the better of district Korangi, runners-up of pool A, 10-6 to set up title clash wth district Central.

Man of the Match Asim Khan struck five goals, followed by Rizwan Khan four and Adnan Zakir one for the winners.

Arsalan Haider three, Owais Khan two and Talha Ghori one were the scorers for the losers.

The final between district Central and district Malir will be played on Friday at 11pm following a day’s rest on Thursday .

The final will be preceded by separate five-a-side exhibition matches of boys under-14, women’s and veterans to commemorate Olympic Day.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2017