Kashif hat-trick saves PIA's blushes

Unimpressive Port Qasim Authority score a 3-1 win over PAF, while HBL whip KESC 3-0 in other matches of the day.–File photo by APP

KARACHI: Kashif Ali’s hat-trick helped formidable PIA bounce back to score 4-3 victory over SSGC in a national hockey championship match marred by a brawl between players and questionable umpiring on Wednesday.

The match which saw altogether five yellow cards from both sides saw clash between PIA’s Yasir Islam and Abbas Haider of SSGC in the 46th minute. As the two players exchanged hot words other PIA players joined Yasir.

Interestingly, instead of tournament director Iftikhar Syed, former Pakistan goalkeeper Ahmad Alam, who is a member of disciplinary committee, entered the ground to control the players. Both Yasir and Abbas were yellow carded, while Waqas Akbar of PIA and SSGC’s Shahzad Aslam were also shown yellow in the 59th minute. Mohmmad Zubair of PIA was the fifth player to be yellow carded in the 60th minute.

The match started with a seventh-minute goal by PIA’s Mahmood Ali before SSGC rattled up the national airlines three goals within 10 minutes to go 3-1 up.

Ishtiaq equalised for the SSGC in the 17th minute before Shakeel Abbasi grabbed the second in the 21st minute, while Saleem Khalid hammered in the third in the 27th minute.

PIA reduced the margin in the 48th minute through Kashif who scored on a controversial penalty corner awarded by umpire Rana Liaquat.

The national carriers heaved a sigh of relief when Kashif was once again on target, this time on a penalty corner in the 51st minute to restore parity. Kashif found the cage to score the match-winner on another penalty stroke five minutes before fulltime.

Port Qasim Authority (PQA) scored an unimpressive 3-1 win over PAF.

The winners opened the scoring in the sixth minute through Hanif Shahzad on a penalty corner before his effort was cancelled out by PAF’s Imran Ali four minutes later.

PQA remained unimpressive throughout the match and it seemed the two teams will walk away sharing a point. Surprisingly, umpire Zulfiqar Hussain sent off PAF’s Kashif Raza with a green card for breaking the line on a penalty corner, although it was the first such offence of the player.

Hanif again found the target on a short corner in the 59th, while Kashif Jawwad made it 3-1 just a minute before fulltime to make it a respectable scoreline.

Two-goal Rana Zubair helped Habib Bank defeat KESC 3-0.

Zubair opened the account on a penalty corner in the 13th-minute and got his double in the 29th minute with another short corner conversion. Shahbaz Ali completed the tally with a 47th-minute penalty corner.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/sport/12-kashif+hat-trick+saves+pia+blushes-sa-01