KARACHI, Feb 2: Low-flying PIA survived a serious turbulence before landing into the quarterfinals after a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Karachi ‘A’ in the 50th national hockey championship on Sunday.
PIA, the defending champions, completed the quarterfinal line- up and emerged as pool ‘A’ champions but not before coming from behind twice to level and then scoring the second half match- winner through Kamran Ashraf.
National Bank (NBP) became the champions of pool ‘C’ after a 3-1 triumph over Customs, while Habib Bank (HBL) emerged as pool ‘D’ leaders with a thumping 12-2 win over Karachi `B’ in the matches that decided the pool leaders at UBL Sports Complex.
Apart from PIA, NBP, Customs, HBL, others who reached the quarterfinals are PTCL, Wapda, Allied Bank, and Pakistan Army.
The quarterfinals will be played on Monday. PIA meet Allied Bank (ABL) in first quarterfinal at 10.00am, Wapda face PTCL at 12.00pm, NBP take on Pakistan Army at 2.00pm, while HBL fight against Customs at 4.00pm.
PIA V KARACHI ‘A’
The game, which should have been a practice session for the star-studded PIA, proved a thorough workout for the national carriers who took a nightmarish start by going 1-0 down in the first half.
Karachi ‘A’ grabbed the surprise lead when Ishtiaq Ahmad slammed home off a penalty corner in the 7th minute. PIA woke-up in the 19th minute to equalise through Mohammad Aqeel.
Minnows Karachi ‘A’ knocked the heart out of PIA when they again forged 2-1 ahead through Mansoor Sheikh which exposed the frail defence of the champions.
PIA, who were supposed to tear apart their rivals, having no less than five former Pakistan captains and veterans like Shahbaz Ahmad, Ahmad Alam, and Kamran, looked a disjointed lot.
Their forwards could not find the target, although they repeatedly came into Karachi ‘A’ circle which was evident from 14 penalty corners.
PIA came twice near scoring late into the first half. First Karachi ‘A’ goalkeeper Nasir Ahmad produced a fine save after a Malik Shafqat and Kamran move, while Shahbaz’s aimless hit in the dying moments of the first half crossed the back-line.
Ageing Shahbaz, who last represented the country at last year’s World Cup, was not even the shadow of his past. He was mostly confined to the midfield, while his distribution for which he is famous, was not even average.
Karachi ‘A’ took full advantage of slow pace of their opposition and attacked through Mansoor whose deflection missed the target two minutes into the second period.
PIA were relieved when Mohammad Farooq put the game on even keel in the 39th minute, while Kamran finally scored the winner after a goal mouth melee in the 45th minute.
The home side gave another fright to their rivals in the 53rd minute but PIA were lucky as Imran Khan failed to convert a Samiullah pass.
Imran Khan of Karachi ‘A’ was named the player of the match.
NBP V CUSTOMS
Customs opened with a Shabbir Khan goal in the 8th minute but it proved a consolation as the bankers scored twice before the breather and once after the re-start.
Emerging full-back Imran Warsi banged home the equaliser in the 20th minute. Adnan Zakir moved the scoreboard two minutes later off a rebound after Mohammad Nadeem’s try was blocked during a short corner.
Zeeshan Ashraf completed the tally with an indirect try on 46 minutes which gave Customs no chance of levelling or winning the match.
NBP goalkeeper Shabbir Hussain had to be replaced in the 51st minute as colour of his shirt was matching with Customs custodian Rashid Yaqoob. NBP reserve keeper Abuzar Umrao stood under the bar as Shabbir did not have another shirt of the same number.
Customs goalkeeper Rashid Yaqoob was declared the player of the match.
HBL V KARACHI ‘B’
The bankers proved too strong for the local outfit as they went 9-1 before going for the break. HBL started with a Asad Qureshi goal in the second minute, four-goal Kashif Jawwad netted his first in the 15th minute, while Ejaz Rasool was on target in the 20th minute.
The local side got their only goal of the first half in the 23rd minute via Imran Khan, while the bankers went on adding six more. Goals from Kashif (25th minute), Ejaz (27th minute), were followed by a penalty stroke converted by Haider Hussain in the 29th minute.
Rizwan Khan (32nd minute), Haider (33rd minute), Kashif (34th minute), Ejaz (51st minute), Kashif (57th minute) and Haider (69th minute) completed the scoring. Falak Bose Ansari got the second for Karachi ‘B’ in the 61st minute.
Monday’s fixtures:
Quarterfinals: PIA v ABL at 10.00am; Wapda v PTCL at 12.00pm; NBP v Pakistan Army at 2.00pm; HBL v Customs at 4.00pm.