Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan win opening games in PHF Junior Super Hockey League
The hockey teams of Lahore and Faisalabad emerged victorious in the opening games of the Junior Super Hockey League of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). Lahore overpowered Peshawar by 2-1, while Faisalabad powered a 4-1 victory over Karachi. Meanwhile,
the game between PHF (Pakistan Hockey Federation) Academy and Multan ended in a draw.
In the first game of the tournament, Lahore faced Peshawar at the National Hockey Stadium where both teams started the game in quite a mature and disciplined way. But it was the player from Lahore, Hafiz Sardar, who scored the first goal of the day and put
his side ahead on the score-board. He managed to take the ball at the top of the circle and punched a drag flick into the goal.
After conceding a goal, Peshawar adopted defensive policies in the game. The first half of play concluded with Lahore holding a narrow one goal lead. The players from Lahore displayed impressive passing in the second half and carried out back-to-back strikes
to break the defence line of Peshawar.
With six minutes into the second half action, Peshawar obtained a short-corner and tested Mohammad Fahid. He succeeded to convert the chance successfully and had it all even at 1-1. However, the tie-up could not last for long, as Usman Aslam notched another
goal and sealed the victory for Lahore by a single goal, 2-1.
Faisalabad thrashed Karachi by a commanding three-goal margin, 4-1 in the second match of the Junior Super League. Though Karachi was a favourite team of the tournament, but it failed to win the first game of the event. The sluggish defence from Karachi
failed to block the strikes from the Faisalabad side. Bilal Qadir scored only goal of the first half and led Faisalabad in the period.
The Faisalabad Team showed complete dominance and scored another three goals in the second half of play. Mohammad Adnan scored a goal in the 42nd minute of the game, while Dilber Hussain scored a pair of goals respectively, in the 48th
and 69th minute. Faisalabad won the game by three goals.
Multan managed a draw against PHF Academy at 1-1. PHF Academy obtained first goal of the game when Zohaib Ashraf connected on a short-corner in the 8th minute of the game.
However, the lead could not last for long, as Faisal Qadir levelled the score in the 15th minute. An end-to-end play was observed in the later time period, but the two teams failed to break the tie-up until the final whistle. The match concluded
with 1-1 draw.
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