Author: Abhishek Shukla

Owner of Sports India Live.
by Abhishek Shukla

Fan Village a big draw at the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018

Bhubaneswar, 29 November 2018: Hockey buffs attending the biggest sporting extravaganza in the country Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 are being treated to games and fun activities installed in the Fan Village spanning about 18,000 sq meters inside the iconic Kalinga Stadium.

 

The activities range from anti-gravity photo booth which lets people click gravity-defying photos in a hockey stadium ambiance while those who wish to take a 360 degree photo can do so at the 360 degree photo booth. The massive fan village spread across two grounds between Gate No.3 and Gate No.4 of the Kalinga Stadium opens at 1.00 PM on match days and features several eatery stalls including those of local specialties like the Odisha Millet Missions for those who prefer to eat healthy.

 

There is also live screening of the matches on a giant screen, accompanied by an Emcee who keeps the mood upbeat and also engages the fans in quizzes related to the sport at half-time. Trampoline for kids, cycles installed to create a video-game feel of a race are also some of the highlights. The organisers have also created a three-a-side hockey turf for those who feel inspired by their favourite stars playing the prestigious event and wish to emulate the action on a mini-turf. There is also a India Post stamp stall where you can buy the newly-launched stamp for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 apart from old stamps for collection. You can also get a personalized postage stamp which can be used as a valid postage for domestic mail purpose. It can also be used as gift for loved ones.

 

Jugglers, Magicians among other artists are present to ensure there is a lot more to do other than watch top-level International matches. Shopaholics can also buy Odisha Handlooms and sports wear too.  “The Fan Village was curated keeping in mind all age-groups of hockey lovers coming to watch the matches. It is the first time something like this is happening in India and the response has been quite overwhelming,” stated Ms Elena Norman, CEO, Hockey India.

 

Mr Vishal Dev, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Sports & Youth Services Department, Odisha Government said, “We hope the Fan Village will give spectators a different experience of the tournament. The idea was to engage fans and not just have them come watch top-level international matches but we also wanted them to get a sports carnival feel.”

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: ATK and Goa involved in end-to-end goalless stalemate

KOLKATA: ATK and FC Goa played out an enthralling goalless draw at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Goa started the half as the better of the two sides and should have really scored two goals within the first 15 minutes. Seriton Fernandes was awarded the first real chance in the seventh minute when he was slipped through by Jackichand Singh. The right-back though failed to direct his shot on target and hit the side-netting.

A few minutes later, Goa had an even better chance when Ahmed Jahouh delivered an inch perfect ball to the far post. Mourtada Fall ghosted behind the defence to win a free header, however, he could only find the side-netting – a real let off for ATK.

The hosts then spurned a few good chances themselves. Santos, who was ATK’s most threatening player of the first period almost broke the deadlock near the half-hour mark. A delicious pass from Jayesh Rane across the face of goal was flicked on by the Brazilian attacker. But Goa custodian Mohammad Nawaz stood firm to make a good stop.

ATK wold come closest to scoring in the 36th minute through Lanzarote. After some neat build up play from Santos and Gerson Vieira, the ball fell to the Spaniard inside the box. He chested it down before firing a shot, which narrowly missed the far post. That would prove to be the last notable piece of action of an end-to-end goalless half.

ATK started the second half on a bright note and created a neat opening in the 54th minute. Santos and Lanzarote were once again in the thick of the action, carving open the Goa defence with their fine running. This time Lanzarote laid the ball off to Rane, who took one touch before forcing a good stop from Nawaz.

A few minutes after the hour-mark, drama ensued as Goa felt hard done by when they were not awarded a penalty. Substitute Manvir showed incredible control and composure to beat ATK’s offside trap before creating space for a shot a goal. His effort was blocked by Bikey before being cleared off the line by John Johnson. The ball seemed to have hit Bikey on the arm, but the referee waved play on.

As the match reached its end, chances were few and far between as both sides seemed to settle for a point. Goa did have a glorious opportunity in the final minute though when Ferran Corominas demonstrated determination and skill to beat two defenders before delivering a cross for Edu Bedia. The midfielder, however, failed to direct his shot on target as the ball ran out of play.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: NorthEast United add to Pune City’s woes

PUNE: NorthEast United lifted themselves to second on the Indian Super League table with a 2-0 win over FC Pune City on Tuesday at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune.

Goals from Bartholomew Ogbeche (23′) and Juan Mascia (90+1′) secured the victory for the Highlanders, taking them two points adrift of leaders Bengaluru FC. While FC Pune City remain 8th on the table with 5 points.

The opening 10 minutes was a rather scrappy affair, with both teams unable to hold onto the ball long enough to create any decent scoring opportunities.

The first effort on goal only came in the 9th minute, when Ogbeche won the ball from a Pune defender on the left flank. The Nigerian had a chance to shoot by himself but decided to pass it to Mascia who tried to shoot but a defender blocked it away.

Three minutes later Pune City came bitterly close to taking the lead through Ashique Kuruniyan but his first time shot was superbly saved by the NorthEast custodian Pawan Kumar.

Pune City had another chance in the 16th minute when Iain Hume from the right-hand side nicely squared a pass to Marcelo Pereira who tried to round the defender but slipped and it has been cleared away.

NorthEast, thereafter, continued to press on, and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 23rd minute though Ogbeche. Federico Gallego crossed it flat from the corner. It went past everybody at the near post and fell to Ogbeche who chested it down and slotted into the far post.

From the goal onwards, NorthEast dominated the proceedings, but poor decision-making let them down in the final third which saw Eelco Schattorie’s charges went into the breather with only a solitary goal lead.

Pune City showed intent after the interval as they made more box entries in their quest to score the equaliser and the Stallions nearly found it at the hour mark when Mato Grgic’s long throw inside the box found Marko Stankovic who took a first time shot with his right foot only to be blocked by Gurwinder Singh.

Despite being under the pump, NorthEast managed three shots on goal but none of those were on target to test Kamalpreet Singh in goal for Pune City.

Pune City then continued to dominate proceedings but they were repeatedly frustrated by good defending.

Despite the momentum turning in Pune City’s favour, NorthEast managed to found the all-important insurance goal though Mascia who converted from the spot after Sahil Panwar clumsily tripped him inside the box and referee  pointed to the penalty spot.

Mascia took on the responsibility of the penalty and placed it nicely to the left of the keeper to secure a vital win for the Highlanders.

by Abhishek Shukla

ISL 5: Bengaluru dig deep to claim 1-0 win against Delhi Dynamos

Bengaluru: Udanta Singh fired home an 87th minute winner to light up the Fortress as Bengaluru FC beat Delhi Dynamos 1-0 to go three points clear on top of the table and keep the Blues’ unbeaten start to the Indian Super League, intact, at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Monday. Skipper Sunil Chhetri marked his 150th game in a BFC shirt as his side fought tooth and nail until the final whistle to get the better of a stubborn Delhi side.

Delhi could have gone ahead in the 30th minute if it hadn’t been for Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s making himself big to deny Lallianzuala Chhangte from a one-on-one situation. Encouraged by the threat they put the Bengaluru defence under, the visitors attacked with confidence and it needed more of Sandhu’s quality to keep them at bay.

Earlier, Cuadrat chose to start with a shape that seemed like a 4-4-2 with defender Rino Anto being handed his first start this season. With no Dimas Delgado (suspended), Nishu Kumar moved up on the left in midfield, while Chencho Gyeltshen had Chhetri for a partner in attack.

Bengaluru came close as soon as the half resumed when Udanta Singh played the perfect cut-back for Chhetri, but the skipper’s attempt to stroke the ball into the far corner was disappointing by his standards.

Sensing the need to shake things up a little, Cuadrat brought on Erik Paartalu for Rino Anto, prompting Nishu to return to his familiar position at left-back. A second change was made soon after with Semboi Haokip replacing Gyeltshen as the Blues began showing far more purpose than they did in the first half.

Delhi, who were keeping things at the back tight, lost possession after Haokip pressed Gianni Zuiverloon, stole the ball off the Dutchman and picked Udanta. The winger lobbed the ball over the defence to pick Xisco Hernandez’s run perfectly, only for the Spaniard to scuff his attempt on the volley.

With less than five minutes left on the clock, Semboi pressed Zuiverloon once again, this time in an attempt to find space to get a shot away but instead the ball bounced away from goal towards an incoming Udanta, who found himself in space. With time to compose himself, the winger sent a shot goalward that took the slightest of nicks off Marti Crespi before heading towards the bottom corner and shaking the net off the upright to send thousands of BFC fans into a frenzy.

Bengaluru will next face FC Pune City in their first reverse fixture of the League season, at the Kanteerava Stadium, on Friday.

by Abhishek Shukla

Vital month looms for Alejandro Menendez at East Bengal

KOLKATA: December is shaping up to be a crucial month for the future of East Bengal coach Alejandro Menendez, with three must-win games if the Spaniard is to keep the hot seat in East Bengal.

It is true that the coach of East Bengal is always under pressure, such is the microscope that they are under and the expectation of fans. It’s something that could either hold someone back or push him to achieve more, depending on how he handle it.

Saturday’s 3-2 defeat against Aizawl FC, who were bottom of the table before kick-off, has turned up the furnace further, not so much for the result but also the manner of the defeat, where apart from the opening 20 minutes, the Red and Golds were very much second-best. 


Tactically East Bengal looked poorer with defenders were exposed and looked incredibly vulnerable. There was very little penetration in attack.

While East Bengal now face a tricky home encounter against Minerva Punjab FC on December 4, 2018 in match that could define and possibly decide Menendez’s fate as East Bengal coach.

Should they survive that hurdle, there are also two matches that will be considered ‘must-win’ as the Red and Golds battles to stay in the hunt for the I-League title. The first is home to Gokulam Kerala FC on December 8, before the Kolkata Derby against bitter rivals Mohun Bagan on December 16.

Many former players and experts are already raising questions about Menendez’s strategy and even his ability to lead a team like East Bengal, and if East Bengal fail to collect full points in any of these matches, the former Real Madrid Castilla coach would found himself under immense pressure, if he is not already.

by Abhishek Shukla

India’s Abhay Singh, has reached the final of a PSA challenger event in England

Sutton Coldfield (England): India’s Abhay Singh stormed into the final of the Sutton Coldfield International 2018, a PSA challenger event after a spectacular win over the top seed Jan vd Hereweggen of Belgium in the semi-final late on Friday.

Always a fighter, the fourth seeded Indian, a trainee at the Chennai’s Indian Squash Academy, needed little over an hour to script his 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 3-11, 11-6 win and make it his fourth PSA final in his career. What stood out in favour of Abhay was his court coverage and quality drop shots.Towards the end stages, the Indian also showed effectiveness in countering long rallies. Abhay now faces the second seed Victor Cruin of France in th title match.

by Abhishek Shukla

BLACK PANTHERS BRACED FOR TOUGH FINAL

KOKRAJHAR, BODOLAND, ASSAM: Mohammedan Sporting Club coach Raghunath Nandy has refused to buy into the favourites tag on his team’s head ahead of their Bodoland Martyrs Gold Cup final clash against Oil India, Dhulijan.

The meeting set for Sunday night at KDSA Stadium in Bodoland, Assam sees two former champions go head-to-head in what is seen as a grudge match.

Black Panthers are currently enjoying a rich vein of form and will be looking at the likes of skipper Philip Adjah, Charles Atcha and Kamran Farooque for inspiration.

However, the final match will not be an easy one as Oil India lost 3-1 against Mohammedan SC earlier this month in the 65th Bordoloi Trophy final and with the result still fresh on everyone’s minds, Oil India will surely want to turn the tables around.

“We are fully aware that the opponent is eager to take revenge, and as such, we need to be on our toes. We have no right to be on flat foot. We need to be fully aware that we are playing against a team that has quality individuals,” Nandy told mohammedansportingindia.com.

The former East Bengal defender says the final will be a open contest despite exhibiting an output which has clearly put his team above their opponents for the championship clash.

For many a fan, Black Panthers are the favourite to win the ultimate at the knockout competition, but Nandy is not willing give ear to that assertion and insisted that Oil India have an equal chance of being crowned champions.

“We are not favourites. From a tactical point of view‚ the set up for both teams is almost similar. Both teams have the equal chance of winning the competition. Since this is a knockout tournament every game was like a final and it will be same against Oil India. We will put in our best to make sure we win,” Nandy said.

The veteran tactician also mentioned his team will go to the final aiming to put smiles on faces of Black Panthers faithful.

“We need to put smiles on the faces of our supporters. They are that driving force and they are that fuelling factor that is keeping us moving,” he conlcuded. 

The match at KDSA Stadium in Bodoland, Assam will kick-off at 7 pm.

by Abhishek Shukla

Belgium and the Netherlands arrive with hope to clinch the title

Bhubaneswar, 24 November 2018: The Netherlands, ranked No.4 in the World, arrived Saturday evening for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018. Grouped in Pool D, being pegged as the ‘Pool of Death’ with heavy weights Germany, Pakistan and Malaysia, the Dutch are looking for tough matches right from the start. “Bhubaneswar is a great place to be and play hockey in front of an amazing crowd. We are in a tough group with strong teams. We play Malaysia first and we need to make sure we keep our heads down and play our best every match,” asserted Max Caldas, Head Coach of the Netherlands.

 

Speaking of the team’s excitement to be back in Bhubaneswar, experienced player Billy Baker said, “We have won almost every match we have played this season and we have also had really tough preparations for the tournament. We are aware of the Bhubaneswar crowds who come in large numbers and we want to enjoy playing in front of them and also use their support to feel motivated.” The Netherlands begin their campaign on 1 December 2018.

 

World No.3 Belgium too arrived few minutes after their nemesis the Netherlands and shared their anticipation to play at the iconic Kalinga Stadium again. “We are arriving after three months of solid preparations. We pretty much trained full time and the preparations were heavy. The guys are really fit and sharp. We are excited to get going,” said Belgium Skipper Thomas Briels.

 

Belgium are grouped with hosts India, Canada and South Africa in Pool B and begin their campaign against Canada on 28 November 2018. Meanwhile, England and New Zealand too arrived late Friday night and were already on the pitch Saturday to make get a feel of the newly-laid turf at the Stadium.

by Abhishek Shukla

Home-coming’ Australia land in Bhubaneswar to defend their title

Bhubaneswar (Odisha), 24 November 2018: Going by the words of Captain Aran Zalewski, Australia are under no pressure to defend their title as it’s a home-coming for the World No. 1 team. Arriving in Bhubaneswar on Saturday afternoon, the team looked composed and confident ahead of their title defence campaign.

 

Australia definitely know a thing or two more about winning in Bhubaneswar as they claimed the Champions Trophy in 2014 and the Hockey World League Final in 2017. Zalewski said they are happy to be back in the City Of Temple. “Definitely, we have a chance to test ourselves against the best in the world as we haven’t tested ourselves since Rio (2016 Olympics) so we want to do very well here,” said Zalewski speaking to media after arriving at the Biju Patnaik Airport.

 

The defender also agreed that this was one of the most open World Cups in recent times. “World hockey is close at the moment and very competitive and any team can win and obviously India at home with home crowd will be very tough to beat,” said Zalewski.

 

Head Coach Colin Batch also said it isn’t going to be an easy task for his side even in Pool Stages. “We are the Champions but a long way from winning this tournament. We have a lot of work to do. We saw that in the Women’s World Cup, a lot of surprises sprung up so we have to perform at our best against Ireland in the first game and then see what happens from there,” said Batch, a World Cup winner himself in 1986.

 

Australia has Ireland, England and China in Pool B and Coach feels they need to play good hockey to beat these sides. “We haven’t seen Ireland for a while but they have played some good hockey. England we have played them a few times, they are a good side and China are a bit unknown so we just take one game a time,” said Batch.

 

Australia open their title-defence campaign against Ireland on 30 November 2018.

by Abhishek Shukla

Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley launches Hockey India Coffee Table Book

Delhi, November 22 2018: Leading into the much-awaited Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, Hockey India on Thursday released a curated coffee table book titled ‘The Illustrated History of Indian Hockey: A Saga of Triumph, Pain and Dreams’ capturing the glorious journey of one of India’s most celebrated sports.

Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, released the book alongside FIH & IOA President Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra, Hockey India President Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad, Hockey India Secretary General Mr. Rajinder Singh and Hockey India CEO Ms. Elena Norman, the book publishers and editors as well as prominent and legendary Indian Hockey players.  

Speaking on the occasion Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley said, “Preserving history is very important, we often preserve it in the form of museums, publications and now a days as audio visuals. Publications like a coffee table book become very important as they are easy read with beautiful pictures. I am quite happy with the way Hockey has developed in the country over the last decade and I would like to wish the team all the very best for the upcoming World Cup.”

“I believe this is the best occasion to launch a book which documents the illustrious history of Indian Hockey. We are less than a week away from the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup and it was essential for a nation with such a rich history in the sport to be able to read and relive it’s glorious past.” saidPresident FIH and IOA, Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra.

“It’s a matter of great pride for us to document and publish India’s illustrious journey with a sport which goes back to over a century of its existence in India. With the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 just around the corner, there would have been no better time than this to release this book for all hockey fans and sporting enthusiasts. I would like to congratulate the authors, publishers and our team for the wonderful compilation of this book.” said Hockey India President, Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad.

The first-of-its-kind book is enriched with a huge reservoir of historical and other interesting hockey trivia, for readers. The book turns back the clock and documents to India’s performance in the sportsince the 1928 Olympics and other key international events providing exhaustive, in-depth information including the World Cups, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. With over a century of its existence in India, hockey has seen both success and pain. Hockey has a strong emotional connect with our country.

This book traces back to the golden era of hockey where we emerged as the first ‘Super-Power of the game’. It is a literary destination for all things in hockey including highlights of Women’s and Junior Hockey national team’s performances laced with interesting statistics, snippets and factoids. A ‘collectors-item’, the book is an attempt to rekindle people’s interest in the sport and chronicle the glorious moments marking the advent and progress of Hockey in India.

by Abhishek Shukla

Priority is to top the pool and make the Quarter Final, says Indian Men’s Hockey Team Skipper Manpreet Singh

Bhubaneswar, 15 November 2018: With less than two weeks to go for the start of the prestigious Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 on 28 November which will witness 16 top teams battle for supremacy in front of hockey-crazy spectators at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, hosts the Indian Men’s Hockey Team are busy making final preparations to their campaign.
The side has exuberance of youth with seven members from the 2016 Junior World Cup winning squad. Combined that with the mastery of players such as PR Sreejesh, Chinglensana Singh, Akashdeep Singh and Manpreet Singh who have registered over 150 International appearances for India, the hosts invoke expectations of a top-three finish, something India has not managed to achieve since 1975.
While creating history in Bhubaneswar is on Team India’s mind, Manpreet Singh emphasized on being focused on their immediate goal which is to top the Pool. “There is no doubt we want to win every match in the Pool Stage, earn the three points from each match, and top the Pool to make the Quarter Final. That is our first hurdle. It’s the World Cup and every team will come with an intention of winning and we do not want to take any team lightly, be it South Africa, Canada or World No.3 Belgium,” expressed midfielder Manpreet Singh who has been in lethal form.
The host nation grouped in Pool C will face off against South Africa on 28 November, play Belgium on 2 December followed by their last Pool C match against Canada on 8 December. While the Indian team has not faced South Africa in a major tournament in over two years, Manpreet stated that a win in their first match will set them on the right course. “Though we haven’t played them in any major tournament, we played a practice match against South Africa during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. That match gave us an idea of how they play. Though we won we don’t want to go by the past result. We play them in our first match and it’s always good to get off to a winning start in any tournament,” added the 26-year-old Captain.
While India have tasted success against Belgium in their recent outings — FIH Champions Trophy in Breda and last year’s Hockey World League Final where they beat them in the same ground in the Quarter Final match, Canada has posed India some serious threat in their past campaigns at major International Tournaments. The team had drawn 2-2 against Canada in the round robin league at the Rio Olympics and in the 2017 Hockey World League Semi Final in London, India had lost 3-2 in the 5th-6th place play-off to Canada. “It was a forgettable outing for us but I believe we have improved as a team in the past two years and we have learnt from every tournament. If we play our best hockey, who we are playing should not matter. Even against Belgium, if we are able to score early then the pressure will be on them. For now, our team is focused on winning the three points from each match in Pool C,” he emphasized.
by Abhishek Shukla

India’s Sanjana Ramesh receives a Division I basketball scholarship with NAU Women’s Basketball

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 14, 2018) – The Pacific Northwest has been kind to the Northern Arizona women’s basketball program of late, but head coach Loree Payne did not stop there when looking to supplement next season’s roster. In addition to nabbing another Seattle product, Payne went far east to untapped recruiting ground to fill her 2019 signing class.

 

On Wednesday, Payne announced Sanjana Ramesh (Bangalore, Karnataka, India) and Emily Rodabaugh (Lynnwood, Wash.) as the newest Lumberjacks after the pair signed their National Letters of Intent. Both Ramesh and Rodabaugh will be incoming freshmen for the 2019-20 season.

 

“With only two scholarships, we had to get two impact players and we did,” Payne said. “We got two players who have the potential to impact our program right away. Both fit our style of play, can get up and down the floor and are very versatile. They can play on the perimeter and can play on the inside. We pride ourselves on player development, and there is no ceiling to how great these two players can be.”

 

Ramesh’s signing is monumental not only for the Lumberjacks, but for her entire country as she becomes just the second Indian-born female player to receive a Division I basketball scholarship. Ramesh, a 6-0 forward, will head to NAU with phenomenal international accolades in her home country.

 

In 2017, Ramesh captained India’s U16 team in FIBA’s U16 Asia Cup. There, the team went undefeated in Division B and won promotion to Division A for the next edition of the tournament. She averaged 6.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during the tournament and then proceeded to play for India in the 2018 William Jones Cup held in Taiwan.

 

Ramesh, with numerous experiences on the state, national and international level, also participated in The NBA Academies Women’s Program camp in May at The NBA Academy India in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), where she received on- and off-court training alongside top female prospects from throughout India.  Following the NBA Academies Women’s Program camp, Ramesh was then named the MVP of the girls division at Basketball Without Borders Asia, a three-day basketball development camp featuring the top male and female basketball prospects from throughout Asia.

 

“Sanjana is an athlete who has international and national experience in India,” Payne said. “We’re trying to get our foot in the door in the international recruiting scene and for us, Sanjana is everything we’re looking for. She’s a joyful kid and very thankful for the opportunity to come here and she’s going to be a heck of a player. Her potential is limitless.”

 

Rodabaugh, a 6-0 wing, enters her senior season at Archbishop Murphy High School as the two-time Cascade Conference Most Valuable Player. Last season as a junior, Rodabaugh helped lead her team to the Class 2A state championship game where Archbishop Murphy would finish runner-up with a 24-3 record. Even in defeat, Rodabaugh was named the tournament MVP.

 

Her performance in the state championship game capped a season in which she averaged 15.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.4 steals per game. She was incredibly efficient, shooting 49 percent from the field. Rodabaugh improved her three-point shooting from 28 percent as a sophomore to 35 percent last season.

 

Rodabaugh was named to the 2018 Associated Press All-State Team and is a two-time All-State performer. She has also been selected to play in the Washington/North Idaho High School Girls’ All-State Basketball Classic twice in 2017 and 2018.

 

“Emily has had a ton of success as a high school player in Seattle,” Payne said. “She’s a trail 4 who can shoot the three. She’s got a scorer’s mentality and is athletic and mobile. She will be a huge contributor to our offensive scheme, and defensively, she is solid as well.

by Abhishek Shukla

Hockey India names 34-member Core Group for National Camp

New Delhi, 31st October 2018: Hockey India on Wednesday named a 34-member Core Group for the final National Camp before the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 to begin on 1st November 2018 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The 34 National Campers, will report to Chief Coach Harendra Singh for a 23-day long training camp which concludes on 23rd November ahead of the much-awaited quadrennial event.

 

The National Camp will give Chief Coach Harendra Singh the chance to work with the Core Group and pick his final 18-member Indian Men’s Hockey Team for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018. The World No. 5 team will look to prepare for the mega-event by training in the host city to get acclimatized to the conditions before they start their campaign against South Africa on 28th November 2018. After having been declared as the Joint Winners at the recently concluded 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018, the team will undergo intense training sessions under Chief Coach Harendra Singh, who is confident that the National Camp will give all the 34-members the chance to prove their mettle and book a place in the final squad. “Our campaign at the 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018 served as good preparation for the team before the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, but now is the most critical time for us as we look to reinvigorate our spirits and work on the areas which need improvement. The National Camp will give all the 34 Core Group players the chance to work hard and show what edge they can provide to the team,” said Singh.

 

The 34-member Core Group includes three Goalkeepers PR Sreejesh, Suraj Karkera and Krishan Pathak while defenders Harmanpreet Singh, Gurinder Singh, Varun Kumar, Kothajit Singh Khadangbam, Surender Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Jarmanpreet Singh, Pardeep Singh, Suman Beck and Captain of the Junior Men’s team for the Sultan of Johor Cup 2018, Mandeep Mor, have been called up for the National Camp.

 

Among midfielders, Manpreet Singh, Chinglensana Singh Kangujam, Sumit, Simranjeet Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Yashdeep Siwach and Vishal Antil have all been selected. Whereas, Akashdeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Sumit Kumar, Gursahibjit Singh and Shilanand Lakra have been selected as the forwards.

 

Meanwhile, ace striker Ramandeep Singh who underwent a knee surgery after sustaining an injury during the FIH Champions Trophy earlier this year, along with seasoned defenders Rupinder Pal Singh and Birendra Lakra, will be re-joining the camp. Experienced Forward SV Sunil completes the 34-man Core Group which shall be considered for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018.

 

“We had trained in Bhubaneswar before the 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy to get used to the conditions there, and I believe that playing on the newly-laid turf at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium again before the World Cup will give us a good chance to prepare and analyse the most effective tactics and style of play, which can be used during the tournament. It is also crucial that we learn from our mistakes in all the previous tournaments this year, and work on minimizing errors throughout the three areas of attack, midfield and defence. It is now time for all the Core Group players to step up and show what they can bring to the table,” expressed Harendra Singh.

National Campers List: 

Goalkeepers

  1. P R Sreejesh
  2. Suraj Karkera
  3. Krishan Bahadur Pathak

Defenders

  1. Harmanpreet Singh
  2. Gurinder Singh
  3. Varun Kumar
  4. Kothajit Singh Khadangbam
  5. Surender Kumar
  6. Amit Rohidas
  7. Jarmanpreet Singh
  8. Pardeep Singh
  9. Suman Beck
  10. Mandeep Mor
  11. Birendra Lakra
  12. Rupinder Pal Singh

Midfielders

  1. Manpreet Singh
  2. Chinglensana Singh Kangujam
  3. Sumit
  4. Simranjeet Singh
  5. Nilakanta Sharma
  6. Hardik Singh
  7. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
  8. Vivek Sagar Prasad
  9. Yashdeep Siwach
  10. Vishal Antil

Forwards

  1. Akashdeep Singh
  2. Gurjant Singh
  3. Mandeep Singh
  4. Dilpreet Singh
  5. Sumit Kumar
  6. Gursahibjit Singh
  7. Shilanand Lakra
  8. Ramandeep Singh
  9. SV Sunil

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey Team declared Joint Winners of the 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018

Muscat (Oman), 29 October 2018: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team was declared as the Joint Winners of the 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018 here today after their Final of the competition against Pakistan was abandoned due to bad weather conditions here on Sunday.

India were looking to defend their title which they won back in Kuantan, Malaysia in 2016 when they beat arch-rivals Pakistan 3-2 in the Final. However, the weather conditions in Muscat played spoilsport as heavy rainfall made it difficult for both the teams to start the Final here at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.

World No. 5 India had earlier secured their passage through to the Final of the 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018 after remaining undefeated in the competition with five wins and a draw in their six matches; defeating hosts Oman 11-0, Pakistan 3-1, Japan 9-0, drawing 0-0 against Malaysia, and South Korea 4-1 in the round robin stages; whereas beating Japan again with a margin of 3-2 in the Semi-Final.

The Indian team were also the highest scoring team in the competition as they scored a total of 30 goals in six matches; and consisting of 11 different goal-scorers. India’s Harmanpreet Singh scored the most goals for his team with six goals, while forwards Mandeep Singh and Dilpreet Singh scored five each.

Earlier on Sunday, it was Malaysia who finished at the third place as they defeated Japan 3-2 in Penalty Shootout after the scores remained 2-2 at the end of regulation time in the Bronze Medal match of the competition.

by Abhishek Shukla

Tata Steel announced as an Official Partner of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018

Bhubaneswar, 29 October 2018: Indian multinational steel-making giant Tata Steel was today announced as an Official Partner for the prestigious Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 which is scheduled to be held from November 28 – December 16, 2018 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in the capital city of Odisha. Tata Steel, the 10th-largest steel producer in the world, signed the agreement with the quadrennial event to continue their efforts of promoting development through sports throughout the country.

Ms. Elena Norman, CEO, Hockey India, expressed her delight at welcoming Tata Steel as an Official Partner for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, “We are thrilled to announce Tata Steel as an Official Partner for the prestigious Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018. It is an important tournament for everyone involved with the sport of hockey, and we are delighted to have the support of the steel-making giant. I would like to thank Tata Steel for associating with the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 and I hope that they continue to support Indian hockey in the future as well.”

“Tata Steel has a long and enduring commitment to sports. Over the years, we have created infrastructure for every sports discipline, including hockey, that is popular in and around our areas of operation. Tata Steel is the first private sector company in India to start a hockey academy. Tata Steel is proud to be associated with the Hockey World Cup, which is being held for the first time in the eastern part of India,” said Mr Sunil Bhaskaran, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel.

The Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 is the 14th edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup and will be the third time that India will be hosting the prestigious competition after having played hosts in 1982 in Bombay and in 2010 in New Delhi. A total of sixteen nations will take part in the tournament which will see each team play three matches during the league stage over the span of twelve days before four cross-over matches take place on 10th and 11th December, 2018. The knockout matches will take place on 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th as the teams will look to become the Champions of the prestigious quadrennial event which was won by Australia in 2014.

The general tickets for the event are priced at Rs 200 (East Stand), Rs 100 (North Stand) and Rs 100 (South Stand) for the Pool and Crossover matches while tickets for the Quarter-Final, Semi-Final and Final matches are priced at Rs 250 (East Stand), Rs 150 (North Stand) and Rs 150 (South Stand). All general tickets for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 are available online at http://in.ticketgenie.in/buytickets/hockey-world-cup-2018

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey Team beat South Korea 4-1 in 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018

Muscat (Oman), 25 October 2018: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team secured the top spot in the Pool stages of the 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 as they defeated South Korea 4-1 in their fifth and final round robin match held here at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Wednesday. The Indian team secured the three points through Harmanpreet Singh’s hat-trick of goals scored in the 5th, 47th and 59th minutes and Gurjant Singh’s 10th-minute strike which saw India secure the top spot in Pool Standings with a tally of 13 points from their five matches and a goal difference of 25, and progress to the Semi-Final match of the competition.

Having played a goalless draw against Malaysia on Tuesday, the Indian team looked to cement their position at the top of the Pool Standings by attacking the South Koreans from the opening whistle. The Indian team maintained possession in the opening few minutes and were awarded their first Penalty Corner in the 5th minute which was fiercely struck in the top right corner by drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, to give India the lead. In the following minutes, South Korea seemed content in sitting back and maintaining a compact structure, which made it difficult for the Indians to break through but in the 9th minute, Striker Akashdeep Singh had a chance to score but saw his shot blaze over the crossbar. Good game-reading in the following minute saw the World No. 5 team extend their lead to two goals as they scored through a counter attack in which Harmanpreet Singh found Gurjant Singh inside the South Korean circle with a precise long pass, the young striker obliging by making a turn and shooting into the top left corner with a tomahawk.

India started the second quarter with some high pressing again but it was South Korea’s turn to open their account as they scored in the 20th minute against the run of play when a clearance by Surender Kumar was intercepted by a Korean player and passed onto Lee Seungil on the right side of the Indian circle, and the Korean Captain struck a vicious shot from a tight angle to beat PR Sreejesh and make the scores 2-1. Two minutes later, South Korea won their first Penalty Corner but the resulting execution was blocked by the first rusher, Chinglensana Singh Kangujam. Both the teams had their chances before the half-time break but neither could produce the goods in the final third as India took their 2-1 lead into the interval.

The third period started on an anxious note for India as the South Koreans scored inside 29 seconds, but the goal was disallowed after a successful referral by the Indian team. Another referral five minutes later, but this time for the World No. 14 side saw them win another Penalty Corner, but the resulting execution was well defended by Indian Captain Manpreet Singh who saw away the danger. Both the teams battled for possession throughout the third quarter but could not find any real opening.

It was only in the fourth quarter that India finally managed to make the most of their opportunity as Harmanpreet Singh converted his second Penalty Corner when he thrashed the ball into the top left corner, past South Korean Goalkeeper Kim Jaehyeon to extend India’s lead to 3-1 after 47 minutes. South Korea tried to make a comeback as they were awarded a Penalty Corner in the 54th minute, but Indian Goalkeeper Krishan B Pathak made a great reflex save off Jang Jonghyun’s slider shot to deny the South Korean. India made sure that they rotated possession well in the final few minutes and created another chance in the 59th minute as Striker Mandeep Singh was blocked by a Korean defender inside the circle. Playing with a kicking back for the final few moments, South Korea could not effectively defend the Penalty Corner as Harmanpreet Singh scored to complete his hat-trick and secure the three points for India. 

On 27th October 2018, the Indian Men’s Hockey Team will play their Semi-Final match of the competition.

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey Team beat Japan 9-0 in 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018

Muscat (Oman), 22 October 2018: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team maintained their 100% record at the 5th Men’s Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 as they produced a stunning 9-0 victory over Japan in their third round robin match held here at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Sunday. The World No. 5 team dominated proceedings from the start and scored goals in all the four quarters through Mandeep Singh (4’, 49’, 57’), Harmanpreet Singh (17’, 21’), Gurjant Singh (8’), Akashdeep Singh (36’), Sumit (42’) and Lalit Upadhyay (45’) to register a convincing victory and remain at the top of the Pool Standings.

The Indian team, riding high on confidence after their 3-1 victory against Pakistan on Saturday, started the match with a good rhythm as Forwards Lalit Upadhyay and Akashdeep Singh had chances in the opening few minutes, but it was Mandeep Singh who scored the opener for India in the 4th minute as he deflected Akashdeep Singh’s vicious low cross from the left flank, through the Japanese Goalkeeper’s leg and into the back of the net. India’s dominance in the opening period saw them win their first Penalty Corner in the 8th minute, which was taken by Harmanpreet Singh and resulted in a goal for Gurjant Singh. Drag-flicker Harmanpreet struck the ball in the centre of goal, forcing Japanese Goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa to save the shot through his body, but the ball fell kindly to Gurjant Singh, who pushed it into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

The Indian team continued to dominate the match in the second quarter which saw them win a Penalty Stroke in the 17th minute as Varun Kumar’s execution of a Penalty Corner was saved by Japan’s Goalkeeper Yusuke Takano but skipper Manpreet Singh was the quickest to react, and his shot was intercepted on the line by the head of a Japanese defender. It was Harmanpreet Singh who kept his composure to stroke the ball crisply towards the right of Takano to give India a three-goal advantage. The goal-scorer was in action again in the 21st minute as he drilled in a Penalty Corner towards the right side of goal, beating the Japanese defenders and scoring his second goal of the match. It was a difficult match for the World No. 16 Japanese team as they struggled to put pressure on the Indians, and had to go into the half-time break trailing by four goals.

The third quarter started with both the teams trying to create chances, but it was India who maintained their upper hand as they scored a fifth goal six minutes after restart which was scored by Akashdeep Singh. The following minutes saw India play with 10-men as Forward Dilpreet Singh was awarded a Yellow Card for pushing a Japanese player, but the World No 5 team showcased their quality by scoring twice through Sumit (42’) and Lalit Upadhyay (45’). First, it was Kothajit Singh who found himself free on the left side of the circle, and struck a fierce shot which was cleverly deflected by Sumit to place it in between the Goalkeeper’s legs. While Lalit Upadhyay scored his first of the match with just one second left on the clock as he was found at the edge of the circle by a low drilled cross from the right flank, and did well to wriggle and create space to score India’s seventh goal.

India continued to put pressure on the Japanese defence in the last quarter as they scored in the 49th minute through a Penalty Corner in which the defending Champions tried a variation. It was Harmanpreet Singh who played a brilliant back-door pass to Varun Kumar, whose slider pass to Mandeep Singh was put in the back of the net on the second attempt by the striker. On the other end of the field, Japan had a chance to open their account in the 53rd minute as they won themselves a Penalty Corner, but the resulting strike was wide of the target as India continued to test the Japanese defence. Forward Mandeep Singh was in action again in the 57th minute as he completed his hat-trick by deflecting Manpreet Singh’s hard and low pass across goal into the back of the net to secure a 9-0 victory for the Indian team.

On 23 October 2018, the Indian Men’s Hockey Team will play their fourth round robin match against Malaysia at 22.40hrs IST.

by Abhishek Shukla

Strikers taking too long in making decisions, says Indian hockey coach Harendra Singh

MUSCAT, October 21: Indian Men’s hockey team Chief Coach Harendra Singh wants the strikers to sharpen up and take less time in making decisions. Complimenting his team for the spirit shown in posting a 3-1 victory after conceding lead in the first minute to Pakistan in the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018, Harendra says he is proud of the way the team staged a comeback on Saturday.
“I am proud of the manner in which the Indian team staged a comeback. They deserve full credit, but I remain concerned with our finishing,” said Harendra.
“We missed a few chances. We are taking too much time to make decisions. That’s where we need to sharpen up,” he said.
“Any team can score early, but what mattered is how our team came back from the early reversal,” said Harendra.
Captain Manpreet Singh, who was adjudged Hero Player of the Match, said the team needs to guard against giving away easy opportunities to the rivals. “Despite playing a good match, there are many things we need to do. We need to guard against conceding easy chances,” said Manpreet.
“I do not think we should have conceded that early goal,” he said.
Pakistan got a penalty corner in the 35th second of the match and capitalised on it to surge ahead. Aleem Bilal’s penalty corner shot was blocked by Indian goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, but Muhammad Irfan Jr. picked up the rebound to shoot home.
India went all out to look for an equaliser, but Pakistan packed the defence to keep the strikers at bay until Manpreet scored a fine field goal to equalise in the 24th minute. Mandeep Singh (31st minute) and Dilpreet Singh (42nd minute) scored field goals to seal India’s victory in the six-nation competition’s showpiece fixture of the preliminary league.
Pakistan team’s manager Hasan Sardar said it was a mistake to fall too back in their own half and allow free space to the Indians.
“We fell back too much. Any team that is allowed to attack to that extent will get chances. We made it easy for India by withdrawing too much,” Sardar said.
“It was in the second half that we also came out and attacked,” he said. “In this game, we were good in parts and disorganised in some other parts. From the chances we created, we should have scored two goals.”
“We can play a lot better. We look forward to a more organised game in our next outing,” Sardar added.
by Abhishek Shukla

Joshna Chinappa lost in the quarterfinal of the Carol Weymuller Open squash

New York: India’s top woman player Joshna Chinappa went down to the top seed Nour El Tayeb in the quarterfinal of the Carol Weymuller Open, a PSA event here on Saturday. The Egyptian won 11-4, 4-11, 11-3, 11-2, the match lasting just a minute past the half hour.

Seeded eight, Joshna had begun well but after taking the second game to level the game scores she found all routes to further progress stopped by her famed opponent. Joshna had a 1-2 head-to-head score over Nour but that could not be levelled off because the Egyptian was far too superior in her control over the ball. While the Indian was quick to pounce on opportunities, Nour was adept in keeping her rival at bay most times with her shrewd angle of returns.

by Abhishek Shukla

PKL 2018: U Mumba beat Haryana Steelers 42-32

U Mumba kept their unbeaten streak in Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season VI going as they beat Haryana Steelers 42-32. Siddharth Desai scored 14 points for U Mumba to lead them to another victory. Desai also became the fastest player to score 50 points in the history of Pro Kabaddi League.  Rohit Baliyan also chipped in with seven points for U Mumba. Monu Goyat finally found some form for Haryana Steelers and got a super 10 but it was a little too late. This was Haryana Steelers’ fourth consecutive defeat of the season.

U Mumba are now top of the table in Zone A whereas Haryana Steelers remain in the fifth spot

This was a match where Haryana Steelers desperately needed a win and they started on a bright note. Monu Goyat looked in good touch as he got a couple of raid points to keep Haryana Steelers neck-to-neck with U Mumba. For the first 15 minutes of the match, Haryana Steelers were in contention to break their losing streak.

https://youtu.be/A5IduSFkeq4

In the 16th minute, Siddharth Desai came up with a brilliant super raid and got 6 points (4 touch + 2 for all out) as U Mumba led 19-13. Desai was in outstanding raiding form for U Mumba and got a super 10 in the first half itself. At the end of the first half, U Mumba led 24-13. Haryana’s defence struggled to get going in the first half and scored just one tackle point.Haryana’s defence woke up in the second half as they scored three tackle points in five minutes and reduced U Mumba to just three men. After 26 minutes, U Mumba led 25-18 and were still in control of the match.

U Mumba forced a super tackle in the 29th minute to lead 28-19. Haryana Steelers responded with a couple of super tackles of their own to cut down the lead.

With less than five minutes to go, U Mumba led 33-27 when Siddharth Desai came up with a two-point raid to kill all hopes of Haryana’s comeback. U Mumba inflicted another all out in the 39th minute to extend their lead to 40-29. Monu Goyat came up with a super raid in the dying seconds of the match as they reduced the deficit to nine points

In tomorrow’s matches, Haryana Steelers will take on Dabang Delhi KC whereas Gujarat Fortunegiants will face Puneri Paltan.

by Abhishek Shukla

PKL 2018: Bengaluru Bulls crush Tamil Thalaivas 44-35

Bengaluru Bulls earned the bragging rights in the Southern derby as they beat Tamil Thalaivas 44-35 in Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season VI. Pawan Sehrawat with 16 points and Kashiling Adake (12 points) were the star performers for Bengaluru as they registered their second consecutive win of the tournament. This was Tamil Thalaivas’ fifth straight defeat and they haven’t won a match since the opening day of the season. Ajay Thakur was once again tried to salvage the match for Thalaivas but couldn’t get enough support.

Kashiling Adake started the match with a bang as he came up with a super raid in the 2nd minute to give Bengaluru Bulls 4-1 lead. Ajay Thakur got his first point of the match in the fourth minute as Tamil Thalaivas trailed 2-4. Kashiling Adake made another successful raid as Bengaluru Bulls inflicted an all out to lead 9-2.

https://youtu.be/OjKgvYXk2rc

Tamil Thalaivas were clearly struggling a much fitter outfit in Bengaluru Bulls as they didn’t have answer to their raiding prowess. In the sixth minute Pawan Sehrawat came up with a four-point raid to give Bengaluru Bulls 14-3 lead.

Tamil Thalaivas defence had a half to forget as they scored just two tackle points. At the end of the first half Bengaluru Bulls led 25-14 with Kashiling Adake scoring 10 points.

Tamil Thalaivas began the second half strongly as they inflicted an all out in the 24th minute to cut the deficit to 21-29. Tamil Thalaivas tried hard to make a comeback but Bengaluru Bulls’ defence was on top of their game. With their lead cut to just six points, they made to crucial tackles to lead 33-24 in the 30th minute.

Tamil Thalaivas suffered a big blow in the second half when their skipper Ajay Thakur was stretchered off the mat as he suffered an injury. With less than five minutes left, Bengaluru Bulls had opened an 11-point gap and were on course to a comfortable victory.

Tamil Thalaivas forced a super tackle in the 37th minute as they trailed 31-41. Another super tackle was forced by Thalaivas as they trailed 34-43 in the 39th minute. The Thalaivas defence’s poor first half showing was one of the main reason why the suffered another defeat.

In tomorrow’s matches, Haryana Steelers will take on Dabang Delhi KC whereas Gujarat Fortunegiants will face Puneri Paltan.

by Abhishek Shukla

India are the top contenders to win the Hero Asian Champions Trophy title, says Japan Chief Coach Siegfried Aikman

Muscat, 15 October, 2018: With just three days to go for the start of the much-awaited Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018, the top Asian teams have descended on the beautiful Capital city of Muscat for a battle of supremacy in the continent. Asian Games Gold Medalists Japan, who arrived yesterday along with their nemesis Korea, Malaysia and Pakistan, will be joined by Defending Champions India who arrive today. A free-wheeling conversation with the Japanese Coach Siegfried Aikman, a Dutch national of Indian origin, on Monday revealed his team’s strategical approach to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where they will be gunning for a podium finish.
Aikman, without mincing words said, “We wanted to enter the 2020 Olympic Games not as host nation but as Continental Champions. We had to win big in order to gain that self-confidence that we too can beat big teams and that we are not afraid of teams like Korea, Pakistan, Malaysia or India anymore.”
 
At the forthcoming Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018, Japan will have the platform to reinstate this self-belief and reassert their supremacy in Asia when they take on World No.5 India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Korea, Oman and prove to the world that the Asian Games Gold Medal was not a one-off incident. “Of course we will be playing to win every single match but at the same time we will also be testing quite a few young players who are below the age of 20, in order to select a core group that will give us enough options and also create more competition within the team ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games,” stated Aikman, who is a master at accurately studying the opponents’ weaknesses and successfully using it to Japan’s advantage. It is what they did in the Final of the Asian Games where they were 0-4 at half time against Malaysia but made a sensational comeback to draw 6-6 in regulation time and go into a shootout.
 
“It was in fact against India that we had planned thoroughly to play against in the Final of Asian Games. After we drew in our final Pool match, we knew we wouldn’t face India in the Semi Final but were expecting to meet them in the Final and had strategically prepared for it. We had strategised differently against them in the pool stage and would used a different strategy had we played them in the Final. However, because of their loss against Malaysia, we will never know how we would have done against them in a Final. I think for our team, it was also critical to have won a few matches against Pakistan in the lead up to the Asian Games that helped boost our confidence,” he added.
 
At the tournament in Muscat which begins on 18 October 2018, Japan will begin their campaign against Malaysia on the opening day. According to Aikman, his team will not be looking at results as much as they would like to emphasis on their own game. The Dutchman explained, “For us it is extremely important to focus on our own game and work on certain areas that will put us in good stead and help us build on our game for 2020. While we will play to win, results will not matter as much as playing a disciplined game.”
 
Speaking of who would be the title contenders for this year’s edition, Aikman called out India without skipping a beat. “India are undoubtedly the contenders for winning the tournament. They have the skills, tactical awareness and fitness but they are vulnerable under pressure and that’s the area which we need to capitalize if we want to success against them,” Aikman concluded.        
 
Japan will take on Malaysia in the opening match at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Muscat 2018 while India play hosts Oman in the second match of the day. 
by Abhishek Shukla

Indian U-18 Women’s Hockey Team advance to Final of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games

Buenos Aires (Argentina), 14 October 2018: A convincing performance from the Indian U-18 Women’s Hockey team saw them secure a place in the Final of the Hockey 5s competition at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games as they defeated China 3-0 in their Semi-Final match held here at the Parque Polideportivo Roca on Saturday. India’s Mumtaz Khan (1′), Reet (5′) and Lalremsiami (13′) were all on target as they secured a Medal by outplaying the Chinese team.

The Semi-Final match saw India dominate right from the start as they put pressure on the Chinese defence by keeping possession. The Indian team were rewarded for their efforts as Mumtaz Khan scored after just 52 seconds to give India a crucial lead. India did not allow their opposition too many chances in the opening period and were happy to keep the possession, creating several chances for themselves from inside and outside the 11-metres area. The 5th minute saw Indian Midfielder Reet attempt a fierce shot from the half-way line, which beat the Chinese Goalkeeper Xinyi Zhu on her right and secured a 2-0 lead for India. China tried to create opportunities in the remaining few minutes but India’s defence made sure that they cleared the danger and took their two-goal advantage into the half-time break.

India dominated the start of the second period as well, finding space in the opposition’s half and creating chances for themselves. In the 13th minute, it was Forward Lalremsiami who was stopped from taking a shot by a Chinese player, which meant that India were awarded a Penalty Challenge. The resulting Challenge was well converted by Lalremsiami as she scored her eighth goal of the competition and gave India a 3-0 lead. India’s Baljeet Kaur and Reet also tested the Chinese defence in the remaining minutes, but could not beat their Goalkeeper as China looked for an opening at the other end of the pitch. Yangyan Gu, Meirong Zou and Anhui Yu all had chances for China but could not keep their shots on target as India secured a convincing Semi-Final win.

The win for the Indian U-18 Women’s team means they will play the Final of the competition on 14th October 2018 at 01.10hrs IST against the winner of the other Semi-Final match between hosts Argentina and South Africa.

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian U-18 Men’s Hockey Team progress to Final of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games

Buenos Aires (Argentina), 14 October 2018: The Indian U-18 Men’s Hockey Team produced a fine display to register their place in the Final of the Hockey 5s competition at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games as they defeated hosts Argentina 3-1 in their Semi-Final match held here at the Parque Polideportivo Roca on Saturday. Sudeep Chirmako (12′, 18′) and Rahul Kumar Rajbhar (3′) scored for India as they secured a Medal by defeating hosts Argentina, for whom Captain Facundo Zarate scored in the 4th minute.
A tough encounter for the Indian team saw them score an important first goal in the 3rd minute as Rahul Kumar Rajbhar beat the Argentine Goalkeeper Nehuen Hernando to give his team the lead. However, Argentina were quick to equalize as they scored through Facundo Zarate in the 4th minute to set up an exciting Semi-Final. Both the teams had chances in the remaining six minutes of the first period but both the Goalkeepers made some fine saves to keep the scores locked at 1-1 at half-time.
In the second period, India maintained pressure in the opening couple of minutes and benefited from it as they took the lead in the 12th minute through Sudeep Chirmako who produced a fine finish to swing the match in India’s favour. India’s Goalkeeper Prashant Chauhan kept his team in the lead as he was called into action again in the next few minutes to deny the hosts of an equalizer. Whereas, India’s attackers also created chances and were successful again in the 18th minute as Sudeep Chirmako scored his second goal of the match to secure a two-goal advantage for the Indian team. Argentina tried to make a comeback in the dying minutes but the match was well managed by the Indian team as the defenders denied the hosts of any real chances to see the match out and secure a place in the Final of the competition.
The Indian U-18 Men’s Hockey team will face their Asian counterparts Malaysia in the Final of the Hockey 5s competition on 14th October 2018 at 23.30hrs IST.