ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) held their nerve in a pulsating encounter to edge out Punjab 4 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, as the semi-final line-up of the National Under-18 Hockey Championship was finalised on Thursday.
In what turned out to be the most electrifying quarter-final of the tournament, KPK and Punjab 4 were locked at 2-2 at the end of regulation time after a fiercely contested battle. With neither side willing to concede, the match was decided on penalties, where KPK displayed remarkable composure to clinch a 2-1 victory, knocking out one of the tournament favourites and booking a well-deserved place in the semi-finals.
Earlier, Customs delivered a commanding performance to outclass Punjab 1 by 6-2 in the opening quarter-final. Asam Haider led the charge with a brace, while Abdullah, Usman, Yahya and Umar contributed one goal each to complete a dominant outing. Waqas and Ali managed to score consolation goals for Punjab 1.
Punjab 2 produced an equally emphatic display in their quarter-final clash, overpowering Punjab 3 with a resounding 6-0 victory. Abu Sufyan and Farhan struck twice each, while Hunain and Abdul Sami added one goal apiece to seal a comprehensive win and secure their passage into the next round.
In the final quarter-final, Army showcased their superiority with a ruthless 10-0 demolition of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Muzammil Saeed starred with a hat-trick, while Shoaib and Hassan chipped in with two goals each. Bilal Umair and Ammar also found the net to complete the rout in a one-sided contest. Punjab will take on KPK while Army and Customs will play the semis on Saturday.
