Sohail, Jaffar on song as Wapda thrash PQA 5-1 to reach semis

KARACHI: Two goals apiece by Sohail Abbas and M. Jaffar inspired last year’s runners-up Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to outplay Port Qasim Authority (PQA) 5-1 while Army sent Navy packing 3-0 to complete the semi-finals line-up in the 62nd National Hockey Championship at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium on Thursday.

Wapda is drawn to face Army while national champions PIA, who bulldozed Pakistan Television (PTV) 8-1 on Wednesday, faces National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the two semi-finals after a days rest on Saturday. The bankers coasted to 4-2 victory over Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on penalty shootout after being tied two-all in regulation time the other day.

Led by reputed penalty corner striker Abbas, Wapda, who lost the title battle 2-4 on penalty shootout after being engaged in a two-all draw to PIA in the last edition, slammed four goals in quick succession in a span of eight minutes in the last quarter to change the tide in their favour. The two teams were locked one-all at the completion of third quarter.

At the outset, Wapda forwards launched their first attack in the second minute which resulted in PC and Abbas made no mistake

The PQA’s efforts bore fruits when M. Usman neutralised the lead slamming a field goal in the 23rd minute. Two minutes earlier, they earned their first and the only PC but went abegging.

Wapda overcome complacency with vengeance in the fourth and last quarter adding four goals to their tally including two off PC’ s.

Jaffar surged Wapda ahead (2-1) in the 48th minute while Abbas showed accuracy by scoring his second goal off team’s third PC in the 51st minute to enhance the lead to 3-1. Earlier, Umer Bhutt a’s shot from top of the circle went wide.

Wapda continued their rampage as Usman made it 4-1 off left flick in the 55th minute while Jaffar sealed the fate (5-1) netting his second goal during a melee four minutes from the final hooter.

Wapda scored yet another goal at the fag end through Ejaz Ahmed but following PQA’s objection umpire Muneer referred it to the video analyst who disallowed it.

Group C champions Army, the losing semi-finalists of the last national hockey championship, repeated their performance by making it to the last four for the successive year, coasting to 3-0 win over Navy, who finished runners-up behind NBP in the group D.

Capt M. Rizwan broke the ice in the 10th minute. Kashif Ali consolidated the lead three minutes after resumption of the second quarter.

The sailors, who earned half-a-dozen PC’s during the match, made some inroads in the third and fourth quarters and did succeed through Mohsin Sabir in the 56th minute but on objection it was disallowed by video analyst. Earlier, umpire Atif has signalled the goal.

Abdul Jabbar scored soldiers third goal in the 59th minute to complete the rout.

The disallowing of two goals, one in each quarter-final by the video analyst besides other matches, has exposed umpiring standard.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2016