By Faizan Liaquat
WAPDA and NBP both won their matches on day five and booked their place in last eight.
Match # 1 WAPDA 2-0 PAKISTAN STEEL
“JADEED AND ARIF RESCUED WAPDA”
The first game of day 5 played between WAPDA and Pakistan Steel, Pakistan Steel who already had 3 point from their last game when they secured a narrow win against Karachi United on 17th January, they just needed a draw today to reach the next stage of the tournament, but they failed to do that as WAPDA outclassed them today and won 2-0 against Pakistan Steel.
WAPDA started the game very slowly, tried to keep the possession in the first 15 minutes of the game and then starts attacking. WAPDA missed 2-3 clear cut chances in the first half. The score line remains 0-0 till 45 minutes.
After the half time WAPDA made a strong come back and rectifies all those mistake which they made in the first 45 minutes of the game and scored their first goal in 51st minute of the game as their winger JADEED KHAN who played extremely well against Karachi United and was unlucky that his name didn’t appeared on the scoring sheet finally get a chance to do that as he converted a decent cross into a goal.
WAPDA doubled their lead in 85th minute of the game when ARIF MEHMOOD who is playing for WAPDA since 2003 scored the winning goal and took his side into the Quarter Finals of the game. 
After the game Pakistan WAPDA, Pakistan Steel and Karachi United all finished group stage with 3 points each but WAPDA and UNITED qualified for the next stage of the tournament on goal difference.
Karachi United finished 1st in Group A as they have better goal difference then WAPDA.
Match # 2 NBP 4-2 PAKISTAN POLICE
“NBP WON AGAINST 10 MEN POLICE”
NASIR ISMAILS NBP qualifies for the quarter final in an EPIC encounter against PAKISTAN POLICE. POLICE conceded 4 goals against NBP and scored 2 late goals but it was too little too late for them. Crowd had a good time as it was a high scoring game.
NBP from the beginning of the game got the grip of this high scoring clash as their center forward ZESHAN scored a brilliant solo goal in the 25th minute of the game to give his side a 1-0 advantage against POLICE. Right after 6th minute of NBP’s first goal link up Maqbool and Javed Hamza doubles their lead as Muhammad Fateh goal keeper of POLICE beaten by a curling ball from MAQBOOL.
A little controversy happened today in the game just before the half time as Sher Hassan of Police got straight RED after abusing the referee… So on protest the whole team of POLICE left the field…
After 7 minutes of argument and disputation between the organizing committee and the management of POLICE, Assisting Manager Wali brought his team back into the ground and referee started the game once again. The first half ended with the domination of NBP.
NBP took full advantage of the red card and scored early in the second half as their mid fielder Javed Hamza scored a brilliant team goal after his shoot is miss judged by the keeper. The shinning star of today’s game MAQBOOL scored his 2nd and 4th goal of NBP in 68th minute of the match as he dribble past 2 defenders of POLICE and beats the goal keeper on the left side.
In 70th minute NBP made a forced change as their defender Rai Akmal got injured after the tackle from Nazeer and replaced by Babar. In 72nd minute Israr Ahmed the RB of NBP made a tackle in 18 yard box by which POLICE got a penalty which was converted by Noor Muhammad and got their consolation goal.
Match become interesting when Waqas the number 9 of POLICE finds the net in 80th minute and the crowd thought they can come back with 10 men but it was too little too late for POLICE as the match ended 4-2.
Zeeshan was the star of today’s game as he guided his team in the last eight.
NASIR ISMAIL after the game (Coach NBP)
“I am happy that we not even quailed for the next stage but also we topped this group which means we will play against the side who will finish 2nd in Group B. Boys showed great character today and killed the game by scoring 4 goals. Yes we should have kept the clean sheet but it was important to give some youngster a chance. I have full confidence in this team and I am sure we will entertain the crowd by playing the football which they like.”
From Group D NBP finished 1st with 4 points, KPT with 2 draws secured 2 points while Pakistan POLICE only managed to get 1 point from their match against KPT.
Two more games will be played tomorrow in this tournament
Karachi Electric will face SNGPL in the first match and this match will decide who is going to top in Group C while KRL and SSGC will face each in the second game KRL will play against their ex-coachTariq Lutfi.
Some star players of National team will be in action. Kaleemullah and Saddam Hussain will represent Karachi Electric against SNGPL. In second game KRL will have the services of Muhammad Adil and Goal Keeper Saqib Hanif while SSGC will play with Saadullah.