HBL 4 Army 3

KARACHI, Oct 25: It was a day of thrilling upsets as HBL and AGQ reached the quarterfinals after eliminating title-holders Pakistan Army and fancied PIA in President PFF Cup football championship Friday.

The soldiers surrendered against the bankers 4-3 after a nail- biting shootout, while low-flying PIA crashed against minnows Agha Gas Quetta (AGQ) 3-1.

The Army-HBL skirmish was decided by penalty shootout after both sides remained locked at 1-1 on the completion of regulation time, and even after extra time.

HBL won the shootout with Mohammad Tariq slamming home the fifth spot kick after Armymen missed the target twice earlier.

Both the sides were levelled 2-2 after three kicks when they wasted one each through Ghulam Ali (Army) and Amjad Yousuf (HBL).

Shahid Nadeem was Army’s culprit as HBL goalkeeper Mohammad Shahzad saved his shot. Army marched out of the contest despite Sajjad Haider’s conversion as HBL’s Shakir Hussain and Tariq both were on target that sent the partisan crowd into raptures.

The match started with both teams working hard against each other in the first session with Army’s Imran Hussain, Sajjad, and Ehsanullah threatening the bankers.

The bankers were retaliating through Shahid Saleem, and Pervaiz Ahmad but were kept at bay by fine keeping by Army’s Falak Sher.

Ace striker Imran finally brought joy on Army’s bench when he fired in the 44th minute a well worked Ghulam Ali free kick.

The soldiers who kept playing some attacking football yet into the second period came close to scoring another in the 65th minute, but Imran’s 20-yard drive was taken by Shahzad. Mohammad Riaz also tried the next minute with long-range drive but was also denied by Shahzad.

HBL, after squandering couple of chances, had golden opportunity when Mohammad Sarwar brought Amjad Yousuf down in the box in the 80th minute. Tariq however became HBL’s villain, sending his spot kick wide off the target.

Substitute Jawaid Ahmad restored parity after Pervaiz clipped a perfect cross from the left side in the 87th minute.

Both sides were visibly drained of energy and spirit in the extra time and could not get the much-needed golden goal.

AGQ, who were lucky to reach the second stage along with Wapda after Pakistan Police backed out from the tournament, could have gone ahead but Sadiq Ali’s free kick shook the woodwork in the opening minutes of the game.

PIA, like in the previous matches, could not give the finishing touch to the moves by Zahid Niaz and Mohammad Omar.

The national flag carriers were brought down to earth by AGQ after resumption when they conceded their first goal with Sadiq Ali stabbing into the net a 65th minute free kick.

And that was the beginning of PIA miseries as their rivals took only six minutes to lash in another which came through solo effort by Munawwar Ali.

Omar brought some consolation for the national carriers after being set up by Mohammad Asif in the 78th minute, before PIA went further behind when substitute Mohammad Ali netted off a Munawwar pass a minute before fulltime.

Omar’s name went into the referee’s book in the last moments when he committed a dangerous foul on AGC player.

Saturday’s fixtures:

PAF v PMTF at 1.15pm; Wapda v Railways at 3.15pm.