![PIA, Islamabad enter into All-Pakistan Shama Challenge Football Cup semi-finals [Pak Observer]](https://footballpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/PIA-vs-Police-in-Shama-Challenge-Cup-Peshawar.jpg "PIA, Islamabad enter into All-Pakistan Shama Challenge Football Cup semi-finals [Pak Observer]")
Peshawar—Pakistan International Airline (PIA) and spirited Islamabad took berth into the semi-finals after registering victories against their respective rivals in the first and second quarter-finals of the ongoing All Pakistan Shama Challenge Football Cup being played here at Sumbal Khan Football ground, Qayyum Sports Complex on Saturday.
National Bank Regional Chief Syed Waseem Akhtar was the chief guest on this occasion. General Manager HR PIA Sohail Ahmad, GM Credit NBP Shahid Majeed, Organizing Secretary of the tournament Basit Kamal and large number of spectators were also present on this occasion. Before the start of the match the players of the quarter-finals PIA, PTV, Police and Islamabad were introduced to him.
Waseem Akhtar lauded KP Football Association for holding national event wherein top 12 teams of the country are taking part. He said with such national activities the concept of the people about Peshawar would certainly change of declaring it a no go area.
The match between Islamabad and PTV produced great thrill for the sitting and cheering spectators. The first-half was tied a goal-less draw and it was Islamabad team who scored two quick goals in the 40th and 65th minute to make the tally 2-0 in the second session.
PTV players tried their hard to reduce the margin but they were failed to do so and thus the match won by Islamabad at 2-0. Center striker Samad was the pick of the pack for Islamabad who scored two quick goals through field attempt and help Islamabad to reach to the semi-final.
In the second match both PIA and Pakistan Police also produced good display with some beautiful inroads were also witnessed in the 90-minute play. Pakistan Police got more than five easy goal scoring opportunities but none of them could be materialized due to poor finishing.
It was in the 35th minute when PIA took the lead through Ishtiaq, the right winger, on the field attempt. After taking lead, PIA kept up pressure to double the lead and in the dying moments of the first-half Ishtiaq scored another goal on the field attempt to make the tally 2-0. PIA was leading by 2-0 at half-time.
In the second session Police did some resistance but due to poor finishing the forwards of Police failed to score any goal. For PIA center striker Naveed scored the third goal in the 69th minute through field attempt, thus making the tally 3-0. Both PIA and Islamabad moved to the semi-finals.
Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah and Amin Ullah supervised the match while Abdur Rehman, Anwar Khan, Zahid Ullah and Alliuddin acted as deputy referees while Qazi Asif was the commissioner of the matches.—APP