(after penalty shootout)

KARACHI, Oct 31: Wapda hustled HBL out of the President PFF Cup football championship to sneak into the final after a 5-3 victory on penalty shootout at People’s Sports Complex Thursday.

The bankers, who had shocked defending champions Pakistan Army in the knockout phase 4-3 on shootout, failed to repeat the performance against Wapda.

Gulzar Ahmad was HBL’s villain as his attempt was wide off the target on the second spot kick, while Wapda found the cage with all their five players.

Mohammad Niaz, Agha Raza, Moeen Ahmad, Dilshad Ali and Zulfiqar Ahmad converted the penalties for Wapda. Shahid Saleem, Abdul Waheed and Shakir Hussain were successful from the bankers barring Gulzar.

The game which was supposed to be more thrilling, being the semifinal, was a lacklustre affair as both halves of the stipulated time ended without goal.

Even the extra time could not yield result with both the sides failing in getting the golden goal despite some fast-paced play after dull 90 minutes.

Although both sides opened the match with speedy moves most of the time the game was confined to midfield. The attacks from either side however could not produce a goal.

Gulzar collected a yellow card for a rash tackle on Wapda’s Agha Raza in 30th minute.

Wapda, after a couple of raids early in the second half through Mohammad Arif and Zaheer Abbas, could have gone 1-0 down but Shahid squandered the opportunity in the box on 66 minutes.

Diminutive Shahid came near scoring for the bankers again when he failed to meet a left side cross which was headed for safety by a Wapda defender in the 70th minute.

Wapda were in an aggressive mood right from the beginning of overtime as they launched two lightning onslaughts. Niaz’s 16-yard powerful drive went above the bar in the second minute of the extra time.

The match could have been decided in the fifth minute but Arif’s booming attempt 30 yards from outside went screaming over the crossbar.

That was the last major opportunity which the national champions got as they pressed hard for another but all they had was a yellow to Mohammad Shahid.

The bankers too got a clear-cut chance 12th minutes into the second half of the extra time. Abdul Waheed, who was well- positioned to flick home a Shahid pass, missed from close-range.

Friday’s fixture:

(Semifinal):

ABL v KESC at 3.30pm