ISLAMABAD: Customs overcame Navy in a highly exciting final of the 37th National Junior Hockey Championship here at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium on Saturday.

After a 2-2 stalemate in regulation time, Customs won the decider 3-1 in shootout.

Both the teams launched a number of attacks and counterattacks in the first quarter but the contest remained goalless.

In the second quarter, Hamza Fiaz scored a beautiful field goal to give Customs lead.

Hamza doubled the lead in the third quarter as he netted a brilliant pass from Abdul Qayum, who beat several defenders before passing the ball to Hamza.

The scenario changed in the final quarter when Navy in the latter stages made a stunning comeback as Waleed converted a penalty corner in the 52th minute.

Navy’s team effort eventually paid off in the 58th minute when Mohammad Waseem scored on a penalty stroke to make it 2-2 and take the match to shootout.

In the shootout. Customs players and their goalkeeper Faizan Januja upstaged Navy 3-1 to claim the title.

“I am very happy, all the players made brilliant efforts to win this trophy,” a jubilant Customs captain Mohammad Ammad told Dawn after the match.

The 18-year-old player added that this victory means a lot to his team and hoped that Customs would now provide them with much-needed jobs. “We hope [that] we will get job letters in the next few days,” the winning skipper said.

Custioms coach Danish Kaleem praised

his team. “Teamwork paid off. I am very much satisfied with the performance of my team. They [players] showed brilliant skills,” Danish said.

Meanwhile, Army beat Punjab Red 4-2 to take third position in the tournament.

Navy captain Zakriya Hayat was declared overall best player of the tournament while Mohammad Ozair (14 goals) of Punjab Red was adjudged best striker.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2024