LAHORE, Jan 24: Defending champions Lahore, last year runners- up Toba Tek Singh, Vehari, Okara, Sargodha, Narowal, Sheikhupura and Faisalabad advanced to the quarterfinals of the third Punjab Under-16 Inter-District hockey championship at the National Hockey Stadium (NHS) Thursday.

The draws for the quarterfinals will be made Jan 25 at 9 a.m. and the matches will be played on Jan 26 after one day rest.

In the day’s most exciting match, a late strike by right-half Saqib guided Sialkot to recover and beat Rahimyar Khan by a close margin of 3-2.

Rahimyar Khan led the first half 2-0 but Sialkot fought back in the second session, scoring three goals to ensure victory.

Outside-left Rizwan Khan opened the account for Rahimyar Khan in the 2nd minute. Mirza Navid Ahmed doubled the lead in the 14th minute to finish the first half at 2-0.

After the interval, Sialkot staged comeback to turn defeat into victory. Inside-right Muhammad Farhan scored two back to back goals in the 34th and 48th minute to make it 2-all before Saqib sounded the board in the 57th minute which proved the decider.

Gujrat rallied to hold Bhakhar 3-3 draw. Bhakhar led 3-1 l at the half time but Gujrat scored two goals in the second session to earn the draw.

Outside-left Asif Ali put Bhakhar ahead by scoring a field goal in the 12th minute. Gujrat retaliated and equalised through inside-right Azhar in the next minute.

Bhakhar again proved their supremacy by scoring two goals to lead 3-1 at the interval. Inside-right Tahir Imran (16th minute) and centre-forward Wasim Abbas (26th minute) were the scorers.

After the resumption spearhead Shahbaz scored a field goal to make 2-3 for Gujrat while two minutes before the end Wasif banged home the equaliser.

Bahawalpur recovered to beat Pakpattan 2-1.

Awais Sultan scored a field goal in the 11th minute to give Pakpattan 1-0 lead. Bahawalpur were level three minutes before the end of the first half through outside-left Aamir. Inside-right Wasif struck the match-winner in the 55th minute.

Gujranwala beat Attock 2-0. Both the goals were scored in the first half. Inside-left Samiullah converted a penalty stroke in the 17th minute before right-half Ammar Hyder capitalised the first penalty-corner in the dying minute of the first half.

Jhelum stunned Sheikhupura 3-1 but Sheikhupura made the last eight by winning three first matches.

Jehlum earned 2-0 lead at the breather.

Right full-back Aqeel (2nd minute), centre-forward Javed (30th) and inside-left Shahzad (34th) were the scorers for the Jehlum.

For  Sheikhupura, centre-half Muhammad Abbas scored  the solitary goal in the 32nd minute.

Centre-half Nadeem helped Sahiwal to beat Rajanpur 1-0. Nadeem converted a penalty-corner in the 31st minute of the second half.