NEW DELHI, December 16:India International Sabir Pasha's hat-trick helped strong favourites Indian Bank (Chennai) enter the semi-finals of 15th Lal Bahadur Shastri football tournament, with a 3-0 win over Jammu and Kashmir Bank in a group 1 quarter-final league match at Ambedkar Stadium here today.The winners led 1-0 at half time, through Pasha's solo effort in the 19th minute. On changing ends, Pasha, who had joined the team after his return from the Asian Games at Bangkok, increased the lead in the 60th minute when he scored off a pass from bagoos.In the 76th minute, Indian Bank's substitute Selvakumar was brought down inside the box by by J-K defender Lateef. Referee C Rangaraju awarded a penalty-kick which was converted by Pasha to complete the tally.In a group 2 quarter-final match, State Bank of India (Hyderabad) were held 1-1 by Aryans Club (Ambala). Janaki Ram put SBI ahead in the 77th minute while Aryans found the equaliser through an indirect free-kick in the dying minutes of the game.
In another encounter, DSA Varanasi came from behind to hold Shastri Club 1-1. Mohd Ateeq struck for the local club in the 52nd minute while Ramesh Rawat equalised in the 85th minute.
The former League champions were way off their target today despite some good moves down the flanks. Again, it had to be Atiq, who provided the team with the lead but the defenders let the opportunity go down as they fumbled in later stages for DSA to strike the equaliser.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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