LAHORE: Pakistan Air Force (PAF) opened their National Challenge Cup campaign with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Pakistan Navy, courtesy of a stoppage-time goal, while three other matches ended in draws as the tournament got underway across two venues in Karachi on Wednesday.
The opening day featured several closely contested encounters, including a heavyweight clash between two-time defending champions WAPDA and Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), which ended goalless.
The contest remained finely balanced for most of the match before PAF snatched victory deep into stoppage time. A long throw from the left caused confusion in the Navy defence, with the goalkeeper failing to deal with the ball. Arsalan reacted quickest, firing into the roof of the net two minutes into added time to seal all three points.
PAF will face Mamsons on Friday, while Pakistan Navy conclude their group campaign against Mamsons on Sunday.
In a physical and tactical battle, WAPDA and KRL neutralised each other in a match that produced few clear-cut chances. “Both teams were well-matched, so a draw is a fair result,” said WAPDA head coach Mohammad Habib.
KRL take on Hazara Coal on Friday, while WAPDA will play Hazara Coal in their final group fixture on Sunday.
After a scoreless first half, Pakistan Army took the lead in the 58th minute when Rafay broke free and finished confidently.
Pakistan Railways, however, staged a late comeback. In the 88th minute, Mohammad Suleman latched onto a precise through-ball from Mohammad Abdullah, ran clear of the defence, and calmly slotted home the equaliser.
