Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Army became the first two teams to qualify for the semifinals of the 30th edition of Pakistan’s oldest cup competition, the National Challenge Cup.
Pakistan Army’s football department defeated the Pakistan Navy team by a 1-0 score-line in extra time of the second quarterfinal of the country’s premier cup competition.
Meanwhile, in another intense quarterfinal clash, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) team faced off against the seasoned six-time champions, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).
Against all odds, HEC managed to edge past KRL with a 1-0 score-line, while sending shockwaves in the National Challenge Cup highlighting the beauty of the domestic cup competition in Pakistan.
With these results, the semifinal matchups began to take shape. HEC’s football department, riding high on their upset victory, now awaits the winner between SA Gardens and WSTC.
On the other side, the formidable Pakistan Army team would face either the WAPDA departmental football team or the Pakistan Air Force football team, setting the stage for intense battles ahead in the semifinals.
HEC, a football department that has never won the National Challenge Cup has provided an element of upset in this tournament as the semifinals beckon, it will be interesting to see who progresses to the final four of this edition’s National Challenge Cup.
Head coach Shahzad Anwar’s Pakistan Airforce will face off an undefeated WAPDA side that boasts talents like Alamgir Ghazi and Shayek Dost whereas Junaid Shah’s SA Gardens football club will take on Mohib Afridi’s WSTC tomorrow in the last two quarterfinals at 3.30 pm PST.
