Lions 3………………….Qalandars 2

Shan-e-Punjab 4………...Falcons 1

It was not only a feeble forward-line of Qalandars that saw them being defeated, but a fine display of goalkeeping by Indian Adrian D’ Souza also helped the Lions keep the opponents at bay.

Qalandars, having experienced but discarded goalkeeper Ahmad Alam and forward Kashif Jawwad and Sameer Hussain in their ranks, were shocked when Lions poached their opening goal in the eighth minute, Kashif Yaqoob latching onto a long ball from outside the circle to score.

Lions could have netted their second had penalty corner striker Imran Warsi not sent the ball over the bar in the 12th minute.

D’ Souza produced a brilliant save for Lions when he hooked a Dilip Tirkey effort over the bar on a short corner for Qalandars two minutes later.

Qalandars wasted a chance to equalise when Mohammad Shabbir failed to control a long ball in the circle from Rashid in the 16th minute.

D’ Souza was again alert when he produced another stupendous save in the 23rd minute when he was tested by Kashif’s reverse flick.

D’ Souza thwarted for the third time a Qalandars effort through Tirkey on a short corner in the 27th minute.

After 30 minutes play Qalandars finally grabbed the equaliser, Kashif deflecting a long hit into the net.

While Lions missed an opportunity when Zakirullah’s angular hit went across the goal, Qalandars went 2-1 ahead after Gohar Rasool converted a penalty stroke eight minutes later.

Imran Warsi had to be carried off the field by officials after being injured as there was no stretcher available in the 41st minute.

Shakeel Abbasi, named the player of the match, pulled the leveller for Lions in the 49th minute. Tirkey was once off target and then his effort was checked effectively by D’ Souza.

While D’ Souza, the member of the winning Indian squad of the last year’s Asia Cup in Karachi, was vigilant, Ahmad was beaten when Lions slotted home the winner with a Shabbir Hussain opportunist strike from left in the 62nd minute.

Shan-e-Punjab thrashed Frontier Falcons 4-1 in another match.

Malik Shafqat opened the scoring for Shan-e-Punjab on a penalty corner in the fifth minute, while Zahid Afzal doubled the lead in the 27th minute despite pressure from Falcons.

Shafqat Rasool strike in the 42nd minute gave Shan-e-Punjab a comfortable 3-0 lead before Mohammad Saqlain completed the tally in the 53rd minute.

Falcons got some consolation with a Mohammad Farooq goal in the 65th minute.

Salman Akbar of Shan-e-Punjab was adjudged the player of the match.

The tournament was officially inaugurated by the Federal Minister for Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Mr Mohammad Ajmal Khan.

Friday’s fixtures: Capital Dynamos v Northern Cavaliers at 6.30pm; Baloch Lions v Frontier Falcons at 9.30pm.