WAPDA defeat HBL in Gold Cup semi-final

KARACHI: In an exciting finish, Wapda defeated Habib Bank Limited (HBL) 5-4 on penalties to reach the Quaid-i-Azam Gold Cup Hockey Tournament final as National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) outplayed Pakistan Steel Mills 2-1 in the other last-four match.

In the tournament’s most intense and longest match, HBL’s Nasir Shehzad dodged two Wapda defenders and the goal-keeper in the 18th minute to open their account.  However, former national squad member Sohail Abbas eqaulised four minutes later on a penalty corner. With the match tied after a goal-less second half and the 15-minute extra time, both teams tied at 3-3 before Wapda’s Abbas scored the sudden death goal.

In the other semi-final, Mohammad Rauf opened the account for Steel Mills in the 22nd minute before NBP’s Tariq Aziz struck the equaliser eight minutes later as both teams went into half-time tied at 1-1. The drama continued in the second half till NBP’s Muhammad Ateeq scored the goal in the 60th minute to ensure their team’s place in the final and a clash with the in-form Wapda. Both teams face each other today in the Hockey Club of Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2010.