KARACHI, Jan 9: Discarded Pakistan captain Mohammad Nadeem's extra time goal saved NBP's blushes as they overpowered a rough-tackling PIA to reach national hockey championship semi finals after a quarterfinal that saw four yellow cards to losers on Sunday.

While NBP survived a big fright against a mixture of youth and experience, Pakistan Army knocked out star-studded Allied Bank Limited (ABL) 3-2 to maintain their victory march and qualify for the last four.

It was smooth sailing for defending champions Wapda who moved ahead with a 3-1 triumph over Habib Bank Limited (HBL), while PTCL had no difficulty in sending dark horse Steel Mills home after a 5-1 win at Hockey Club of Pakistan.

The topsy-turvy NBP-PIA game ended with a 2-2 score line at the halftime hooter with the bankers coming back twice after going a goal down. The game exploded into action in the sixth minute as PIA went ahead through Mahmood Ali field effort before the bankers put the game on an even keel ten minutes later via Pakistan striker Akhtar Ali.

NBP manager Rehman Khan was yellow carded for dissent in the 19th minute. The national airlines again surged 2-1 ahead in the 19th minutes, former Pakistan right-half Mohammad Usman scoring off a penalty corner. PIA's Aqeel Khan was temporarily suspended in the 33rd minute for rough play.

NBP, being coached by recently-appointed junior team coach Tahir Zaman, again pulled a leveller, this time penalty corner expert Imran Warsi rescued the bankers with a conversion a minute before breather.

PIA, having services of aging veterans goalkeeper Ahmad Alam, Kamran Ashraf, Ali Raza, Usman and Shafqat Malik, were involved in rough play which resulted in three more yellow cards, first Usman was ordered off in the 42nd minute and then Abu Bakar was sent off two minutes later.

The national carrier paid heavily for rough tactics after being reduced to nine players, conceding the third goal when NBP's Haseem Khan slootted home in the 49th minute But the PIA showed determination and were again ahead with Mohammad Imran Khan sounding the backboard in the 65th minute before receiving marching orders for rough play 60 seconds later.

Deadlocked at 3-3 during the regulation time, the two teams struggled into the first session of the extra time but NBP had to wait just four minutes as Nadeem found the cage to send his side into the semifinals.

Two goals by Pakistan midfielder Mohammad Saqlain went in vain as ABL, having experienced but aging players, could not match the speed and fitness of the soldiers who surprised the bankers with a Mohammad Imran penalty corner strike in the 19th minute.

Before ABL could recover, Army were leading 2-0 as Mohammad Rashid slammed home the second three minutes before the break. Saqlain's penalty corner conversion a minute into second half could not do the trick as Army netted their third through Mohammad Saleem in the 51st minute.

While the ABL had Saqlain and axed Pakistan skipper Mohammad Sarwar, interestingly, Khwaja Junaid, who has been appointed junior team assistant coach recently, was also in action. However, all the bankers could offer was a dying seconds Saqlain penalty stroke as they failed to match Army's agility, although the soldiers were an inexperienced outfit.

Wapda got off to a flier against HBL by going 2-0 up before lemons. Interestingly, Wapda, who were without world most fearsome penalty corner expert Sohail Abbas who recently joined Sui Southern Gas Company, scored the three goals on short corners.

Formidable Wapda having former Pakistan captain Waseem Ahmad, national team members Rehan Butt, Mudassir Ali Khan and Shabbir Hussain in their ranks, opened the scoring when Gohar Rasool was on target in the 13th and 22nd minutes followed by a Rehan strike a minute after resumption.

HBL, having at least seven former and a current Pakistan player, were being expected to give some tough time, could only got consolation through Pakistan striker Kashif Jawwad on a 44th-minute penalty stroke.

PTCL were on a rampage from the outset, scoring opening goal through Shakeel Abbasi in the 17th minute, while Aqeel Hussain found the net in the 27th and 38th minute. Zubair and Ghazanfar Ali completed the rout with 47th and 52nd minute efforts. Sheikh Fayyaz got the solitary goal in the 42nd minute for Steel Mills.

MONDAY'S FIXTURES (SEMIFINALS): PTCL v NBP at 1:30pm; Wapda v Army at 3:30pm.