Pakistan WAPDA, and Pakistan NAVY registered victories against their opponents

Lahore: Pakistan WAPDA, and Pakistan NAVY registered victories against their opponents in the ongoing 62^nd National Hockey Championship at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium here on Thursday. WAPDA defeated Steels Mills 6-1 and NAVY beat Police 3-1. Match between Pakistan Railways and Higher Education ended in a 2-2 draw.

Star studded WAPDA maintained their supremacy throughout their match against Steel Mills. Their forwards relied on short passes and ball control to exert pressure on the Steelmen who couldn’t match with the skill and experience of their superior opponents despite some brilliant stick work by Mohammed Imran and Abdul Rahman.

Mohammed Usman’s field goal in the 5^thminute and Aleem Bilal’s successful conversion of a penalty corner in the 11^thminute put WAPDA in a commanding position. Steelmen showed signs of bouncing back and succeeded to reduce the margin with a beautiful field goal by Naseer in the 13^th minute. However, that proved the only goal for the Steelmen whose forwards failed to put exert further pressure on their opponents. Usman slammed another field goal in the 24^th minute. Umer Bhutta, Rana Umair and Fareed Ahmed struck a field goal each in the 49^th, 55^th and 59^th minutes respectively. Sohail Janjua and Hamza supervised the match.

HEC’s Abid slammed a goal on penalty corner in the 2^ndminute of the match to give his team lead which was doubled by Ashar Tariq’s field goal in the 14^th minute. After conceding two goals in the Railways bounced back in the 2^nd quart when Mohsin Javed converted a penalty corner in the 25^th minute to reduce the lead. In the 45^thminute Captain Mohammed Usman equaled the score on a penalty corner. Fourth quart produced good hockey as both teams fought hard to outclass each other. Both wasted chances in the last three minutes of the match. HEC got two back to back penalty corners in the 58^th minute which was wasted. Railways too failed to avail a penalty corner in the 60^th minute. Kamran Sharif and Rana Munna were the field umpires.

NAVY launched an immediate attack on Police as the match started and got a penalty corner in the first minute which was successfully converted by Sultan Amir. Mohammed Sabir too slammed a goal on penalty corner in the 16^th minute. Sabir scored his second goal also on a penalty corner in the 53^rd minute. Police’s lone goal was scored through a beautiful deflection by their Captain Waqas Umar on an equally beautiful pass from Zeeshan Akram in the Circle. Mohiuddin and Zahid supervised the match.

Friday’s Matches: PTV vs Steel Mills, PIA vs Port Qasim Authority.

Meanwhile;Three-day Technical Officials Refresher Course, under the auspicious of Pakistan Hockey Federation, is commencing at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium here on Friday.

Ch. Ansar Mehmood who will conduct the Course informed that the Course is aimed at imparting latest knowledge, regarding the supervision of matches, amongst tournaments officers and judges associated with the PHF. He added that officials from all affiliated departments of the PHF and district hockey associations will participate in the Course.

Ch. Ansar said that Shafiq Ahmed Bhatti and Mohammed Akram will assist him. The closing ceremony of the Course will be held on January 4.