KARACHI: Defending champions NBP, runners-up Wapda, Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) and Navy completed the semi-final quartet in the third Chief of the Naval Staff All-Pakistan Hockey Tournament at Abdul Sattar Edhi Stadium on Saturday.

MPCL carved out a 2-1 victory over PAF to seize second spot in Pool ‘A’.

The winners, who led 1-0 at half-time, enjoyed an edge over their opponents in their last league match.

Waqar Ali opened the account through a field goal in the seventh minute while Ali Anwer consolidated the lead in 38th minute by converting the only penalty corner.

The airmen made some inroads and succeeded in getting half-a-dozen PC’s but to no avail.

MPCL’s goal-keeper Abdul Ishtiaq won man-of-the-match award for his fine work in the post.

In a match of academic interest, Inter-Services champions Army thrashed Punjab 8-2. The soldiers led 4-1 at half-time.

Shahid Ali slammed a hat-trick by scoring in the 6th, 15th, and 39th minutes in performance that earned him the man-of-the-match award. Waseem Akram scored twice in the 8th and 52nd minutes, the second off a penalty corner, while Mohammad Waqas (PC), Mohammad Safeer, Ahmed Sohail added to the tally with one goal apiece.

Captain Ashar Tariq and Akbar Ali scored once for Punjab, while their team-mate Syaam-ur-Rehman was shown the yellow card in the 51st minute.

NBP, who are on course for a hat-trick of titles, maintained their supremacy after inflicting a 2-1 defeat on Navy to emerge Pool ‘B’ champions.

After a barren first-half, the bankers managed to break the ice in the 34th minute through a well-taken penalty corner conversion by captain Abu Bakar Mehmood.

In the fiercely fought contest, NBP doubled their lead through Amir Ali who scored through field effort.

However, the sailors exerted pressure and managed to reduce the deficit through Asad Aziz in the dying moments.

Abu Bakar Mehmood was declared man-of-the-match.

Wapda will take on Navy in the first semi-final on Monday at 2:00pm while NBP face MPCL in the other last-four fixture at 4:00pm.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2021