KARACHI: Two-time defending champions National Bank and Wapda set up a repeat title clash in the third Chief of the Naval Staff All-Pakistan Hockey Tournament after they won their semi-finals at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Stadium on Monday.

NBP carved out a 2-0 victory over Mari Petroleum Company Limited while Wapda drubbed hosts Pakistan Navy 3-0 to book their berths in Tuesday’s final, which will be preceded by a third-place playoff between the losing semi-finalists.

NBP, looking to clinch a hat-trick of titles, reached the final once again after Abu Bakar Mehmood converted penalty corners in the eighth and 50th minutes against MPCL, who had four penalty corners of their own but failed beat NBP goalkeeper Mazhar Abbas, who was named man-of-the-match.

The clash between Wapda, runners-up last time out, and Navy was marred by rough play which resulted in four players — Wapda’s M. Umer Bhutta, Ali Aziz and Ejaz Ahmed as well as Navy’s Sultan Amir — being shown yellow cards.

After a goalless first quarter, Aleem Usman’s field goal in the 16th put Wapda ahead before full-back Mubashir Ali, later named man-of-the-match, doubled their advantage 10 minutes later. Atiq Arshad’s field goal in the 59th minute completed the scoring as Navy failed to make their five penalty corners count.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2021