Category: Hockey

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey team beat World No.4 Netherlands 4-3 in a thrilling encounter

Waalwijk (Netherlands), 13 August 2017: Indian Men’s Hockey team beat home side Netherlands 4-3 in a thrilling encounter here at the Robo Super Series, part of India’s tour of Europe on Sunday. It was double goals by Manpreet Singh in the 30th and 44th minute of the match, Varun Kumar’s 17th minute goal and Harjeet Singh’s 49th minute brace that helped India beat the Dutch who had a great build-up to the series with a 7-1 win over Germany last week.
Though India made a strong start with forward Ramandeep Singh finding an early chance to score, his attempt went slightly wide. Soon after, Netherlands drew first blood when they won a PC in the fifth minute. The drag flick, however, found the foot of skipper Manpreet Singh resulting in a re-award which subsequently went into a penalty stroke. Mink van der Weerden broke no sweat in putting the ball past India goalkeeper Akash Chikte to give the Dutch a 1-0 lead.
India got over the early jitters with a strong display, largely controlling the midfield led by Manpreet who showcased top quality skill and stick work. The attacking approach helped with India finding a PC opportunity in the 17th minute. Junior World Cup hero Varun Kumar successfully beat Dutch goalkeeper to equalize the score. Though the Netherlands earned a PC soon after, the effort was tactfully saved by India goalkeeper.
India pushed the World no.4 team further when Manpreet Singh brilliantly deflected Armaan Qureshi’s cross pass in the 30th minute to give India a 2-1 lead. India controlled the first half with better ball possession and opportunities created in the striking circle.
The contest intensified in the third quarter with Manpreet taking a brilliant shot on goal but the Dutch keeper came up with a class act to pad it away. The following minutes saw the Dutch being awarded back to back PC but comeback man Amit Rohidas was effective as first runner to deny Dutch successful conversion. India then set up a thrilling counter attack to put Netherlands under pressure but the Dutch goalkeeper made a good save again.
The third quarter however ended with India skipper Manpreet scoring another goal in the 44th minute to give India a 3-1 lead and take charge of the game. A good buildup in the midfield followed by a quick-thinking effort by forward Lalit Upadhyay earning the PC. Though Dutch earned a PC with little less than two minutes left for the quarter to end, it was saved by Chikte.

India stayed on course to a win with Harjeet Singh taking the lead to a formidable 4-2 with a well-struck field goal in the 49th minute. The final minutes were thrilling with Nilakanta Sharma making a strong attempt on goal but it was saved by Dutch defender. Though Bob de Voogd scored two goals for the Dutch, India sealed the match 4-3 and walked away with winning point.

On August 14, the Indian Men’s Hockey team will take on Netherlands at 23.30 hours.
by Abhishek Shukla

Chinglensana Kangujam completes 150 International Caps for India

Boom (Belgium), 11 August, 2017: The Indian Men’s Hockey team lethal midfielder Chinglensana Singh Kangujam achieved the distinction of playing 150 matches for his country on Thursday. He achieved the milestone in India’s second match against Belgium during India’s tour of Europe.

 

The Manipur-born Chinglensana made his international debut in the 2011 Champions Challenge in South Africa. Since then, he has been a regular member of the Indian Men’s Hockey team and has also been a part of some of the team’s most memorable feats such as the Silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, a Gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, a historic silver medal at the 36th FIH Champions Trophy in London last year as well as the Gold medal in the Asian Champions Trophy in 2016.

As a midfielder, 25-year-old Chinglensana is fast with the ability to set off aggressively inside the opponents half. creating a chance for the Indians to breakout. He is often entrusted with the role of a stopper when Harmanpreet Singh or Rupinder Pal Singh attempts a drag-flick to convert a penalty corner.

Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad, Secretary General, Hockey India, congratulated Chinglensana on his 150th international appearance. “Chinglensana is a vital cog in the Indian team who silently holds fort in the midfield. Though he sports a smile at most times (off the field), he can be quite lethal on the field. He has been part of India’s great wins in recent times and most importantly guides and motivates new comers in the team. I wish him the very best as he continues to serve the Indian Men’s team with utmost commitment. I am sure he has with his performances inspired a new generation of players not just from the North East but from across the nation.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey team go down against Olympic Silver Medal Champions in Belgium

Boom (Belgium), 11 August 2017: Home team Belgium beat the Indian Men’s Hockey team 2-0 in the two-match Series played in Boom on August 9 and 10. While Tom Boon scored a 60th minute goal to take home the winning points in the first match which otherwise was headed to a goalless draw, the Belgian squad ranked No.5 in the world beat India 3-1 in the second match to wrap up the series.

 

Though India which comprised a young brigade that included as many as nine players from the 2016 Junior World Cup winning team put up a resilient show with quality defence in both the games, the team fell short in terms of posing a real threat with their attack.

 

In the first match against Belgium, six Indian players Varun Kumar, Gurjant Singh, Armaan Qureshi, Dipsan Tirkey, Nilakanta Sharma and Suraj Karkera made their international debut and ensured they put up a commendable performance.

 

The team led by midfielder Manpreet Singh pushed Belgium to the limits with strong defence that saw Varun Kumar, Dipsan Tirkey, Gurinder Singh and Amit Rohidas hold fort along with the experienced Kothajit Singh. They rallied together and set a pattern that one would see repeated over the course of the game. Though it was the Belgians who started strong with opportunities being created in the striking circle, Akash Chikte was up to the task right from the first hooter as he denied Belgian attackers from scoring.

 

But a small error in the striking circle saw India concede a crucial PC in the dying minute of the match. Experienced drag flicker Tom Boon ensured the opportunity didn’t go amiss as he successfully beat rookie goalkeeper Karkera who had replaced Chikte in the final quarter to seal the match for Belgium. The first match ended 1-0 in favour of Belgium.

 

The second match on Thursday began under overcast weather conditions with India setting the momentum of the match with a head start. While Karkera made a brilliant save in the initial minutes of the first quarter, forward Armaan Qureshi drew first blood with a well-struck field goal in the 4th minute that earned India a 1-0 lead. Though India won an opportunity to double the lead soon after with a PC, the chance went amiss.

 

The following minutes saw India keep Belgium goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch busy. India’s goal scorer Qureshi took two back-to-back shots on goal but Vanasch was up to the challenge as he denied any further lead. The first quarter however ended with Belgium equalizing the score with Amaury Keusters converting a field goal in the 9th minute.

 

Though India rallied together to gain better ball possession and circle entries, Belgium pushed India back with strong goalkeeping. The second quarter saw both teams trade PCs, while Belgium found success through Loïck Luypaert converting in the 21st minute, India’s attempt was brilliantly saved by the Belgian goalkeeper. In the 30th minute Cédric Charlier took Belgium’s lead to a strong 3-1 with a field goal.

 

The third quarter saw India come close to converting a field goal but Sumit narrowly missed a deflection off Mandeep. While the final quarter saw India press hard in the midfield which stalled Belgium from entering the attacking zone, Indian attackers Mandeep Singh, Qureshi and Ramandeep Singh’s attempts paid no dividends as the Belgian goalkeeping continued to be valiant ensuring Belgium prevailed in the second match 3-1.

On August 13, the Indian Men’s Hockey team will take on World No.4 The Netherlands at 18.30 hours IST in Waalwijk, Netherlands.

by Abhishek Shukla

Hockey India announces Indian Men’s Hockey Team for tour of Belgium and Netherlands

New Delhi, 28 July 2017: Hockey India on Friday announced the 18-member Indian Men’s team for the Europe Tour of Belgium and Netherlands where six youngsters will be making their debut. The Europe Tour begins with the Indian Team taking on Belgium on August 9 in the first Match in Boom, Belgium.
The team will be Captained by Manpreet Singh while Chinglensana Singh has been announced as the Vice-Captain.
Hockey India has named a young team for the tour with some of the key players who participated in the World League Semi-Final 2017 (Men) being rested. The 18-member Team for the Europe Tour will see six players making their debut including goalkeeper Suraj Karkera from Mumbai who had missed the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup earlier this year due to an injury. The team will also see Junior World Cup heroes Varun Kumar, Dipsan Tirkey, Nilakanta Sharma, Gurjant Singh and Armaan Qureshi making their Indian men’s team debut. Talented defender and dragflicker Amit Rohidas who had an outstanding season with Kalinga Lancers, the winners of the 2017 Coal India Hockey India League, too finds himself in the squad for the Europe Tour.
With their vision set on this years Asia Cup, Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017 and next year’s Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, Hockey India is in the hunt for the right mix of players who can bring desired results at the 2020 Olympic Games, the team has been picked in order to give talented youngsters an opportunity to gain experience. “We will continue to test some of the younger players in this tour in order to give them the international exposure in this new Olympic cycle. The team has been training in SAI Bengaluru where we have been working on improving our counter control and defence apart from working on variations that can improve our goal scoring. It is important for the youngsters to face top teams like the Netherlands and Belgium early in their career which will undoubtedly benefit our long-term goals,” expressed Chief Coach Roelant Oltmans.
India are scheduled to play five matches in their Europe Tour as they take on Belgium in the first two matches on August 9 and 10. The Team will then move to Waalwijk, Netherlands to face the home team on August 13 and 14. They will play their fifth and final match of the Tour against Austria in Amstelveen, Netherlands on August 16, 2017.
Ahead of their departure for the Europe Tour, the national squad will continue their National Camp until August 5, 2017.
Squad: 
Goalkeepers
1.     Akash Anil Chikte
2.     Suraj Karkera
Defenders
3.     Dipsan Tirkey
4.     Kothajit Singh
5.     Gurinder Singh
6.     Amit Rohidas
7.     Varun Kumar
Midfielders
8.    SK Uthappa
9.    Harjeet Singh
10.  Manpreet Singh (Captain)
11.  Chinglensana Singh (Vice-Captain)
12.  Sumit
13.  Nilakanta Sharma
Forwards
14.  Mandeep Singh
15.  Ramandeep Singh
16.  Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
17.  Gurjant Singh
18.  Armaan Qureshi
India will play Belgium in their first match on August 9 at 22.30hours IST.
by Abhishek Shukla

Hockey India League to return in 2019 with a fresh outlook

New Delhi, 25 July 2017: After hosting five successful editions that generated tremendous interest from hockey fans across the globe, the sixth edition of Hockey India League will be hosted in 2019. The tournament’s Governing Committee, comprising representatives of Hockey India and other stakeholders, have unanimously decided to schedule the next edition of India’s only professional hockey league in 2019 instead of 2018 January and February.
“After five years of successfully organizing the Hockey India League which has greatly helped unearth talent and significantly improved the National Team’s performances at both Junior and Senior level, we felt that it is time to review the League, evaluate its success and comeback with a fresh outlook that will benefit the development of the sport further and our franchises and stakeholders. This decision was made after consultation with all our commercial partners and meeting the contractual obligations of all parties involved,” stated Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, Chairman Hockey India League and Secretary General, Hockey India.
Ahmad further clarified that this will only be a temporary discontinuation and that the Hockey India League will return in 2019. “Due to a conflict in dates of the schedule of Hockey India League 2018 and a major international tournament which was likely to restrict the participation of international players, it was decided that the best solution was to postpone the conduct of the sixth season of the League. I want to emphasize that we want to resume the League in 2019 albeit with greater prospects to make it more viable financially not only for the stakeholders but also for the players,” he added.
The Hockey India League in these past five years has given rise to players who have gone on to make a name for themselves in World Hockey. The League significantly contributed in the success of the Indian Junior Men’s Team that won the 2016 Junior World Cup while the Indian Men’s Team advanced in the world ranking to a commendable No.6 position. The foreign players too hugely benefited with the League as it has helped them earn monetary benefits playing in the month-long League along side players from different countries.  “Hockey India League has undoubtedly been a fantastic platform for players from around the world to showcase their talent and the participating teams thoroughly enjoyed the experience over the last five seasons. The Governing Committee would like to thank everyone involved with the HIL and all those who participated in the first five seasons of the tournament,” expressed Ahmad.
by Abhishek Shukla

Ireland beat Indian Women’s Hockey Team 2-1

Johannesburg, 22 July 2017: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team scrabbled a 1-0 lead to give away two goals in the final quarter that set up a 2-1 win for Ireland in the 7th and 8th placing match here at the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final on Saturday.

Though India started the first quarter rather slow compared to Ireland, they shifted gears ten minutes into the game. It was perhaps Ireland winning the first PC of the match that came as a wake-up call for India in the 10th minute. Monika, however was brilliant at the goal-line to defend the dragflick with her stick. In the 15th minute, India won a PC which was successfully converted by Gurjit Kaur who came up with a well-executed flick firing the ball low to the left giving India a 1-0 lead.

There was plenty of entertainment in the second quarter with India dominating with improvised circle penetrations. During one such circle entry in the 24th minute, Navjot Kaur was obstructed by Ireland keeper Ayeisha McFerran which resulted in her being sent away with a yellow card for 10 minutes. India were awarded a penalty stroke; however, nothing came off the opportunity with Ireland’s stand-by goalkeeper Grace O’Flanagan making a great save. India lost another opportunity to double their lead when a goal was disallowed as it came off the back stick of Indian striker Rani in the 28th minute.

Coming into the match after a ten-minute halftime break, India won back-to-back PCs in the 31st minute but unfortunately, they couldn’t convert the chance. India won two more PCs in the 43rd minute but striker Rani’s flick was block away by Ireland goalkeeper O’Flanagan. Though Ireland attackers made brave forays into the circle and attempted shots on goal, India’s goalkeeper Savita was on top of the job to keep the ball out.

Less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Ireland leveled the score with a clinical variation in their PC attempt that saw Kathryn Mullan finding a perfect deflection to put it past Savita in the 47th minute. Ireland further pumped another goal through a PC converted by Lizzie Colvin in the 48th minute to take a 2-1 lead over India. Though India made desperate amends to equal the score, Ireland defence stood strong to win the match.

by Abhishek Shukla

Resilient Japan beat Indian Women’s Hockey Team 2-0

Johannesburg, 20 July 2017: Japan beat the Indian Women’s Hockey team 2-0 here at the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final to secure a chance to qualify for next year’s Women’s World Cup.
India made a zestful start to their campaign against Japan with Monika getting an early shot on goal in the opening minute of the game. But Japan’s goalkeeper Megumi Kageyama made a good save to deny India an early lead. In the following minutes Japan ensured they gave little such opportunity with a tighter defence while their attackers broke the Indian defence to foray into the striking circle. The aggressive approach resulted in Japan winning their first PC of the match in the seventh minute which was successfully converted by Kana Nomura. Japan won two more penalty corners in the 8th and the 10th minutes but India’s Monika and Savita came up with good saves, respectively.
The second quarter saw Indian attackers try different channels to break the Japanese defence but in vain. Meanwhile, Akiko Kato of Japan showed excellent dribbling skills to carry the ball into the circle and take a shot on goal but Savita was exceptional in her effort to save. Another big shot on goal for Japan came when Yuri Nagai cut inside the circle beating defender Gurjit Kaur but Savita came up with yet another noteworthy save. Japan’s second goal however came through another PC in the 29th minute. It was Naho Ichitani who converted the shot after they came up with a brilliant variation to trick the Indian defenders.
Falling behind by two goals, India looked to make amends in the third quarter. Though Japan won another PC in the 31st minute, Namita Toppo did well as the first runner to block away the attempt. Soon after, Rani setup a counter attack to make a swift foray into the striking to take a go at the goal but she was slightly off target. In the 34th minute, Indian goalkeeper Savita continued to live up to the billing with yet another great save when Naho Ichitani took a shot on goal. Though another PC was awarded following a scramble for ball possession, India evaded the scare to go into the third hooter with 0-2 on the scoreboard.
The final 15 minutes saw India create some strong chances to score. One such opportunity came when Vandana assisted Rani who got a good deflection, though it was saved by goalkeeper, Renuka Yadav took the rebound to push it back into the post to score. Unfortunately for India though, a successful video referral by Japan for back stick disallowed India’s goal. India won their first PC in the 51st minute but Gurjit Kaur’s fiercely-struck flick was well saved by Japanese goalkeeper. Meanwhile Japan won their 10th penalty corner, but an alert Savita was up to the task to keep them from scoring. Though India played a much better third and fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough to stop Japan from walking away with the win.
by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Women’s Hockey team go down 1-4 to England

Johannesburg, 18 July 2017: The Indian Women’s Hockey team lost to England 1-4 in the Quarter-Final match here at the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final on Tuesday. India will next play the fifth to eighth placing match on July 20.

England put India on the back foot in the first quarter when they won three back-to-back PCs which finally resulted in England being awarded a penalty stroke. It was unfortunate for India when England appealed through a video referral that an Indian defender had crossed the goal line before the injector made the pass. This resulted in India losing a defender in the goal line. Reduced to just three defenders and the goalkeeper. India did well to defend the PC but a foul was called when England attacker’s shot on goal was obstructed by Deep Grace Ekka. Giselle Ansley made no mistake in successfully taking the penalty stroke to fetch England an early 1-0 lead in the 6th minute. They extended the lead in the 13th minute when Alex Danson put the ball past Savita making this her third goal of the tournament.

India began well in the second quarter, winning a PC in the 16th minute when Lilima Minz on the counter attack found England defender’s foot in the circle. But the chance went begging with Anupa Barla missing a deflection off Rani’s flick by inches. India won another PC in the 28th minute and this time Anupa managed to get a deflection off Rani’s flick but unfortunately hit the cross bar. India went into the halftime with eight circle penetrations and three shots on goals while England made 11 circle penetrations with three shots on goal.

Though India had contained England from scoring in the second quarter, a defensive error lead to England converting a field goal in the 42nd minute through Susannah Townsend. This took England’s lead to 3-0. India later won two short corners with less than three minutes to go for the hooter but couldn’t make the opportunities count.

The final quarter saw India make some brave forays into the striking circle, desperate for a goal but nothing fruitful. Meanwhile, attempting to keep England from entering the circle, India gave away a PC in the 49th minute but they survived the scare with Savita and Monika coming up with a good save. A good referral on India’s part won them a PC in the 57th minute and India’s lone dragflicker Gurjit Kaur struck a brilliant goal beating England goalkeeper Maddie Hinch. England ended up scoring their fourth goal in the 60th minute through Hannah Martin to end the match 4-1.

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Women’s Hockey Team lose 0-3 to World No.3 Argentina

Johannesburg, 16 July 2017: The Indian Women’s Hockey team lost 0-3 to strong opponents Argentina in their last group stage encounter here at the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final on Sunday. India will next take on England in the Quarter-final on July 18.

 

World No.3 Argentina were quick to get off the blocks scoring as early as the second minute of the match. It was Rocio Sanchez who fetched Argentina an early 1-0 lead. India’s goalkeeper Savita was kept busy right from the start and unfortunately for her this goal came off Argentina’s second shot on goal. Though she made a diving effort to save the first attempt, an unmarked Sanchez was quick to pick up the rebound and convert. Soon after India came close to scoring an equalizer when Vandana Katariya assisted by Namita Toppo tried to deflect the ball into the post but it was blocked away by the Argentine goalkeeper. Savita made as many as four saves in the first 15 minutes and one of her best saves was padding away a fiercely struck shot by Julieta Jankunas. Argentina also won their first PC in the 6th minute but it was blocked away by first runner Namita Toppo. Maria Granatto scored Argentina’s second goal in the 14th minute to go into the first hooter with a strong 2-0 lead.

India played this quarter sensibly, covering their defence and restrict Argentina from entering the striking circle. In the 23rd minute India won a PC but nothing came off the opportunity as Rani’s strike was well-saved by the Argentina goalkeeper. Soon after, in the 25th minute Argentina was awarded a penalty stroke when Sushila fouled while defending a PC awarded to Argentina. The penalty stroke was converted by Noel Barrionuevo.

Argentina began the third quarter with a comfortable 3-0 lead and continued to put India under pressure. They won back-to-back PCs in the 34th minute but India goalkeeper Rajani Etimarpu, who replaced Savita after half-time, along with first runner Namito Toppo did well to defend. India came up with deep defensive tactics to keep Argentina goalless in this quarter.

The final 15 minutes saw the Indian defenders keep the Argentine attackers in check. They didn’t allow easy chances in the striking circle, they came up with a high press to frustrate the Argentines. Meanwhile, the Indian attackers made desperate attempts to take a successful shot on goal but it was hard to come by. A tense tackle by India Sunita Lakra resulted in Argentina being awarded with a PC in the dying minutes of the match. But Rajani was brilliant with her save. India gave away another PC to Argentina soon after, this was their 9th penalty corner but nothing came off the chance. Though Rani manufactured a great shot on goal within the final two minutes to the hooter, the Argentina goalkeeper denied India a goal ending the match in their favour and remained unbeaten in the tournament.

India will take on England on July 18 at 19.15 hours IST. Matches will be shown live on Star Sports 1, HD1 as well as live streamed on Hotstar.com

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Women’s Hockey Team beat Chile 1-0 to seal Quarter-Final berth

Johannesburg, 12 July 2017: A gritty Indian Women’s Hockey team scored a 1-0 win against Chile to make the knockout stage here at the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final on Wednesday.

 

Preeti Dubey’s 38th minute goal ensured India earned their first win in the tournament after a goalless draw against South Africa and 1-4 loss against USA in their previous matches.

 

Both teams traded PC in the first quarter with Chile winning the first in the 4th minute of the match while India earned their first PC in the 12th minute but nothing came off the opportunity for both teams. Though it seemed like India had scored off the rebound when they earned another PC in the 12th minute through a successful video referral, the goal was denied as it came off the body and not the stick. Both teams went into the first break in a stalemate.

 

In the second quarter, Chile came up with high press but that didn’t stop India from creating opportunities to score. One such chance came in the 19th minute when Anupa Barla brilliantly stole the ball from a Chilean player, setting up a counter attack, to find Rani in the striking circle. Rani, however, missed the post by inches. The following minutes saw Indian defenders deny Chile from making forays into the striking circle.

 

After both teams went into the halftime goalless, India finally made a breakthrough when Rani and Preeti Dubey worked in tandem as they drove into the striking circle, Dubey giving it a finishing touch with a quick nick on the ball to put the ball past the Chilean keeper. The much-needed 1-0 lead came in the 38th minute. India mounted pressure on Chile, with the attackers creating chances. Though Rani made yet another shot on goal, the Chilean keeper did well to defend. Soon after, Renuka Yadav found herself on the bench with a yellow card forcing India to start the fourth quarter with 10 players.

 

Chile thus far had made zero attempts on goal despite 17 circle penetrations while India made 16 penetrations with 5 shots on goal. The final 15 minutes saw some tense moments with Chile making desperate attempts to break the Indian defence. Barla, meanwhile, did well to beat the first defender and then find a Chilean foot to win the team a PC in the 54th minute of the match. A different variation didn’t fetch anything though with India’s score remaining 1-0. Chile, on the other hand, won back-to-back PCs in the 55th minute but India did well to defend on both occasions and walk away with the winning points.

India will take on Argentina on July 16 at 21.30 hours IST. Matches will be shown live on Star Sports 1, HD1 as well as live streamed on Hotstar.com

by Abhishek Shukla

Spirited Indian Women’s Hockey Team go down 1-4 to USA

Johannesburg, 10 July 2017: A dominant USA beat India 4-1 in their second Pool B match here at the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final on Monday.
There was plenty of action in the first quarter with USA keeping India’s goalkeeper Savita busy at the post. They won a PC in only the 2nd minute of the match but nothing came off that opportunity as Savita came up with an effortless save. A smart referral call by Rani appealing that there was a back stick by the defender in her attempt to stop Rani from driving into the circle, saw India win their first PC. However, an innovative variation didn’t pay off as Deep Grace Ekka’s strike lacked the power to carry it past the keeper. Almost immediately, India came close to scoring when Vandana brilliantly assisted by Rani made a diving effort to deflect the ball into the post. Though she got a slight touch on the ball, it wasn’t enough to convert. With less than two minutes remaining in the first quarter, USA won their second PC but in vain as Savita came up with yet another great save.

India came up with an improvised attack in the second quarter. Rani managed to win India their second PC in the 22nd minute. She showcased exceptional dribbling skill to beat two USA defenders on the counter to find the foot of US defender in the D. But the chance to score went begging with stopper Monika miss-trapping the ball. USA however didn’t fumble when given a chance. Jill Witmer dispossessed Deep Grace to drive into the circle and beat Savita to score USA’s first goal in the 24th minute. Though India made a brilliant effort to equalize when Rani from the midfield sent a powerful pass to Vandana inside the circle in the dying minutes of the second quarter, but US keeper ensured they kept the lead with a great save.
While both teams traded PCs at the start of the third quarter, it was a quick-thinking Monika, dribbling into the circle, who found Lilima Minz positioned perfectly to deflect. Minz made no mistake as she scored the equalizer in the 38th minute. Though India played on par with the higher-ranked USA in the first two quarters, the equalizer saw USA change gears to put India under the burner. Only two minutes later, a miscalculated attempt to defend on India’s part saw Taylor West (40’) score USA’s second goal. Jill Witmer scored her second goal of the match when she perfectly deflected a dragflick to take USA’s lead to 3-1 in the 43rd minute.
The final quarter saw USA apply pressure on India, limiting India’s chances in the striking circle with strong defence. Meanwhile, USA continued to dominate with a fourth goal scored in the 49th minute. It was Michelle Vittese who scored the goal from the top of the circle. Though USA won another PC in the dying minutes of the match, nothing came off it but it didn’t stop them from notching up their second win of the tournament.
India will take on Chile on July 12 at 15.30 hours IST. Matches will be shown live on Star Sports 1, HD1 as well as live streamed on Hotstar.com
by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Women’s Hockey Team hold South Africa 0-0

Johannesburg, 08 July 2017: Brilliant goalkeeping by Savita saw India hold hosts South Africa 0-0 in their first match at the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final here on Saturday.

India made a strong start with a structured game, a better ball possession in the first 15 minutes. There were also some crucial circle penetrations made in the first quarter that fetched them a PC in the 12th minute of the match. However, a fiercely struck flick by India’s dragflicker Gurjit Kaur was well-defended by South Africa’s first runner to deny India an early lead.
With the second quarter starting with the score reading 0-0, South Africa bounced back into the game with an improvised attack. They made two brilliant attempts on goal. First it was Tarryn Glasby who beat Indian defenders in the circle to take a shot on goal, but an alert Savita was brilliant in her efforts to keep South Africa from scoring. Sulette Damons’ shot on goal was perhaps the best chance South Africa had to score but her powerfully struck shot was slightly off the mark even as Savita made a diving effort to defend. Both teams went into halftime in a stalemate.
There was plenty of action in the third quarter with hosts South Africa, backed by a roaring home crowd, and the support paid off when the home team scored through a field goal by Stephanie Baxter. However, a clever call for video referral by India denied South Africa the goal as it came off the back of the stick. India continued to keep the pressure on the hosts with a strong defence to keep them from making successful forays into the striking circle.
The final quarter witnessed both teams build up frantic pace, as both India and South Africa pushed for a goal. India won their second PC in the 47th minute but striker Rani’s attempt at scoring a PC was denied by South Africa’s first runner who deflected the ball rather perfectly. The following minutes saw South African forwards keep India’s Savita busy at the post as they made tactical variations to take shot on goal. But Savita was exceptional to deny them a goal. South Africa made eight unsuccessful attempts on goal with 34 circle penetrations while India had 15 circle penetrations and three shots on goal. Though South Africa won their only PC of the game in the dying minutes, Tarryn Glasby was kept from converting the goal. India did well to hold hosts to a 0-0 draw and share the points.
India will take on USA on July 10 at 21.30 hours IST. Matches will be shown live on Star Sports 1, HD1 as well as live streamed on Hotstar.com
by Abhishek Shukla

Upbeat Indian Women’s Hockey Team take on South Africa

Johannesburg, 07 July 2017: The Indian Women’s Hockey team will take on South Africa in their first pool B match here on the opening day of the Women’s Hockey World League Semi Final on Saturday 8 July 2017. The team led by Rani arrived in Johannesburg one week prior to the tournament which has helped them in their preparations. Getting acclimatized to the conditions in the host city which is at an altitude of 1,753 metres was easier thanks to the high-altitude training held in SAI Centre Shillaroo before arriving for the event which is also a World Cup Qualifier. “We had some good short training sessions here over the past week and the girls did well. They did not tire easily which was one of the main reasons to have the high-altitude camp. We have one session planned today (Friday) on the game pitch which will count as our final preparation before the start of the tournament,” expressed Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne on the eve of the match.

The Women’s team also played two practice matches against England and Ireland. “Both teams are physically dominating when they play. So, the exposure against these two teams before the start of the tournament was good. I personally think South Africa plays a lot like Ireland. We controlled the entire game against Ireland and against England we did well first half with better control. It is important for us to play disciplined hockey and if we are able to do that then we have a great chance of doing well,” he added.
India have Chile, USA, Argentina apart from South Africa in their pool. “The mood in the team is quite upbeat ahead of our first match. South Africa is ranked around us (No.13 in the world) and I feel we have improved a lot over the past year and are mentally a tougher team than we were before. I am quite confident we will get off to a good start and then take it match-by-match. First goal here is to make it to the Quarter Finals,” expressed striker Rani about the mood in the team.
While both South Africa and Chile are ranked below India at No. 13 and No. 20 respectively, USA and Argentina will pose bigger challenges for the team. While USA is ranked No.6 in the world, Argentina are ranked No.3. “A lot of what we did in the camp over the past few months under Chief Coach Sjoerd involved mental training as a major aspect. We initially did have small mental blocks against playing higher ranked teams. But I think we have overcome that and know that we must just stick to our plans, structure and give our 100 per cent,” stated an optimistic Rani.

India will take on South Africa on July 8 at 21.30 hours IST. Matches will be shown live on Star Sports 1, HD1 as well as live streamed on Hotstar.com

by Abhishek Shukla

Upbeat Indian Women’s Hockey Team leaves for Hockey World League Semi Final

New Delhi, 30 June 2017: With eyes set on their mission to qualify for the 2018 Women’s World Cup in London, the Indian Women’s team will leave in the early hours of Saturday morning for the Hockey World League Semi Final at Johannesburg, starting July 8.

The 18-member Indian team led by striker Rani was based in New Delhi for the last six days before leaving for the World Cup Qualifier. “We played a couple of matches over the past one week against U18 Boys. The whole idea of playing these matches was to see how the team copes with handling speed considering the boys play faster hockey. The physical aspect too was put to test,” stated team’s Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne prior to their departure from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.

Earlier this month, the squad trained at the SAI Centre in Shillaroo to get acclimatized to the testing conditions in Johannesburg. Under Scientific Adviser Wayne Lombard, the team was put through intense training, with focus on improving speed, agility and attaining a greater level of fitness. “We would do four sessions a day and it is not easy training so hard at high altitude. The sessions were very challenging but the girls are eager and excited to earn a berth for the World Cup. Barring a couple of us in the team, most of them have not participated in a World Cup event and that anticipation is driving the team to give their 100 per cent each session, each match and I am confident of a good show,” expressed skipper Rani.

Ahead of their first Pool B match against hosts South Africa, the team will play two practice matches against England and Ireland on Monday and Wednesday respectively. “We can test ourselves against these two countries and analyze the areas we need to improve before we play our first match. While the recent camp was focused on improving speed and fitness, we also worked individually with strikers, midfielders and defenders, created more awareness about the techniques and strategies we need to adapt to and I am happy with the kind of progress the team has shown,” Marijne said.

India are grouped with South Africa, USA, Chile and Argentina. Chief Coach insists that the team can excel if they stick to the structure and execute the team’s plans effectively. He emphasized that they do not want to repeat the mistakes they made against New Zealand where they lost 0-5 in a five-match series in May this year. “Here in Delhi, we tried out different activities in which tennis too was one of them. I wanted the girls to understand what unforced errors are in tennis. When we played against New Zealand last month, it’s not that we played badly but we made unforced errors which led to them scoring many goals. If we can avoid these slip ups then I believe we stand a good chance,” stated an optimistic Dutchman.

India will take on South Africa on July 8 at 21.30 hours IST.

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey team go down 2-3 to resilient Canada

London, 25 June 2017: The Indian Men’s Hockey team went down 2-3 to a resilient Canada who have booked their berth for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 by finishing 5th at the Hero Hockey World League Semi Final, London 2017 on Sunday. It was goals by Gordon Johnston (3’, 44’), Keegan Pereira (40’) and an incredible effort by goalkeeper Antonie Kindler that pushed India to the sixth spot in the tournament. Harmanpreet Singh was the lone goal scorer for India with PCs in 7th and 22nd minutes.
There was plenty of action in the first quarter with Canada taking the lead through a PC scored by Gordon Johnston in the 3rd minute. Johnston’s well-timed flick found the space between the post and India keeper Vikas Dahiya to take a 1-0 lead. Just four minutes later Harmanpreet Singh levelled the score with a fierce flick, slightly moving to the right before striking the ball low to the corner of the post. This was Harmanpreet’s fifth goal of the tournament. The next few minutes saw India win two more PCs but couldn’t quite make use of the chances. Only seconds before the final hooter, Akashdeep Singh set up Mandeep Singh with a beautiful pass but Mandeep’s diving effort didn’t make the post.
In the second quarter, India increased the tempo with an improvised attack. Their effort won them two back-to-back PCs but Canadian defenders were up to the task to deny a lead. Minutes later, Mandeep did well to find Scott Tupper’s feet in the circle to win India their fifth PC. This time Harmanpreet was right on target, picked up the ball beautifully after Sardar Singh’s near-perfect injection to fire the ball past Canadian keeper in the 22nd minute to give India a 2-1 lead. Though both team traded PCs in the next few minutes, neither could make it count. However, a brilliant opportunity came by when Akashdeep and Talwinder Singh worked in tandem, with a well-timed run into the circle and perfect interchange to convert a goal. But Talwinder’s shot was blocked away by the keeper Antonie Kindler.
Going into the third quarter with 19 circle penetrations, six PCs chances and better ball possession, India showed that they were the better team in the first half and had done well to recover from an early 0-1 setback. They hoped to keep up the momentum, and initially did so by denying Canada a shot on goal when they won a PC in the 32nd minute. Desperate defence from Canada saw them give away India their 7th PC of the match in the 35th minute. But Canadian goalkeeper Kindler came up with a brave save to deny Harmanpreet his third goal of the match. A turn-around in the match came in the 40th minute when Mark Pearson set up Keegan Pereira to score a brilliant goal to equalize 2-2. After missing a PC chance early on, Johnston scored a splendid field goal in the 44th minute to hand Canada a 3-2 lead. The hero of this quarter however was Kindler who came up with a spectacular save off the tip of his stick to deny Ramandeep Singh a goal that cost India greatly.
The final 15 minutes saw India make desperate attempts to make a come-back. Forward Sunil did well to win India a PC in the 47th minute when he found Johnston’s foot in the circle. But nothing came off the opportunity for India. In the 50th minute, Sunil set up Mandeep who used a reverse hit to smash the ball to the goal but Kindler was up to the task with an impressive save to deny India an equalizer. India pulled off their goalkeeper Akash Chikte in the final three minutes of the match, playing with an extra defender. Canadian keeper however stayed resilient in his defence to deny India any goal to end the match 3-2 in favour of Canada.
by Abhishek Shukla

Malaysia cause upset win; beat Indian Men’s Hockey Team 3-2

London, 22 June 2017: Malaysia came up with a brave performance to put India out of the podium finish at the Hero Hockey World League Semi Final, London 2017 with a 3-2 win here on Thursday. It was a double goal by Razie Rahim (19’ and 48’), Tengku Tajuddin (20’) that helped Malaysia win a semifinal berth and also qualify for the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018.

Though India were tipped as favourites to win, a stubborn Malaysian outfit kept India in the hunt the right from the beginning. While successful circle penetrations were not easy to come by for India, Malaysia surprised them with two goals in the first five minutes of the second quarter that dented India’s start. It was Razie Rahim who scored Malaysia’s first goal through a PC in the 19th minute flicking the ball to the right corner of the post. Tengku Tajuddin doubled Malaysia’s lead in the 20th minute with another splendid PC, choosing to fire the ball to the top corner giving no chance for Vikas Dahiya to stop it.

India however shook off the starting jitters with a better performance in the later part of the second quarter. They made better attempts on goal but India’s breakthrough came in the 24th minute when a well-thought through pass by midfielder Sumit set up the goal for forward Ramandeep Singh who stepped in front of Malaysian defender to nick the ball into the post. This spectacular goal narrowed India’s gap to 1-2.

Almost immediately Ramandeep Singh doubled his score in the 26th minute when he picked up a rebound off Chinglensana Singh’s shot on goal to fire the ball past Malaysian keeper Kumar Subramiam. It was originally a PC attempt when Harmanpreet Singh tried a variation where he pushed the ball to Manpreet Singh but India skipper could not make a strong connect. The ball was then picked up by Chinglensana and improvised by Ramandeep to ensure India levelled the score.

With the score board reading 2-2 at half-time, the third quarter began with India trying to keep up their momentum. Midfielder Sardar Singh helped India win a PC in the 35th minute, but the opportunity to take the lead when amiss with Harmanpreet Singh’s flick being well-defended. With a little less than two minutes to go for the third hooter, Manpreet set up forward Talwinder Singh for what could have been a brilliant goal. However, Talwinder’s strike was slightly wide with Mandeep having little chance to deflect the ball into the post.

With no goals scored in the third quarter, the final 15 minutes kept the spectators at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Stadium on the edge of their seats.  Malaysia won a PC when Najmi Jazlan found defender Surender Kumar’s foot in the circle. But Razie Rahim’s flick was blocked away by India’s first runner with the umpire awarding another PC to Malaysia. India were unfortunate to lose their referral with Manpreet suggesting that the ball struck his hand and not his feet.

Rahim was ruthless with his dragflick pumping the ball behind India keeper Akash Chikte to take a 3-2 lead in the 48th minute. Malaysia keeper Subramiam came up with a brilliant save to deny Akashdeep Singh when he was set up by Chinglensana for a goal. It didn’t help India’s cause with Malaysia winning another PC in the 57th minute but Razie Rahim’s flick went far wide. Another chance went amiss for India when Ramandeep’s deflection going wide of the post ending the match in Malaysia’s favour.
by Abhishek Shukla

Indian Men’s Hockey team beat Pakistan 6-1

London, 24 June 2017: The Indian Men’s Hockey team scored a convincing 6-1 win against Pakistan in the classification match of the Hero Hockey World League Semi Final, London 2017, here on Saturday. It was goals by Ramandeep Singh (8′, 28′), Talwinder Singh (25′), Mandeep Singh (27′, 59′), Harmanpreet Singh (36′) that dented Pakistan’s hopes of booking a berth to participate at the Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar.
India displayed good attack right from the start with their first real shot on goal coming as early as the opening minute when Ramandeep Singh set up the goal for an unmarked Akashdeep Singh in the circle. But unfortunate for Akashdeep, he could not make a powerful connection to put the ball past Pakistan goalkeeper Amjad Ali.
Mandeep Singh, meanwhile, helped India win their first PC in the 6th minute but Harmanpreet Singh’s flick was defended well by Pakistan. Soon after, India were seen putting pressure on Pakistan, interrupting their counter attack cornering Pakistan player with a three-man defence. The strategy worked, with Pakistan losing the possession. Satbir Singh, playing his 50th international match, was quick to spot Ramandeep in the circle who seized the opportunity for India to take a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute.
India took their lead to a convincing 4-0 in the second quarter. First it was Pardeep Mor who did well with a fierce pass to Talwinder Singh who simply had to angle his stick to beautifully deflect the ball into the post in the 25th minute. Brilliantly assisted by SV Sunil, Akashdeep, who had missed a golden opportunity early on, was exceptional with his dribble in the baseline to get past the defender to nick the ball towards the net. It was Mandeep Singh who got the touch on the ball before it beat the keeper to take India’s lead to a healthy 3-0 in the 27th minute. India’s fourth goal came in the 28th minute when Sunil assisted Ramandeep from the far post. It was a diving effort by Ramandeep that ensured he scored his second goal of the match.
Pressure mounted on Pakistan when India won their second PC in the 36th minute. Harmanpreet Singh made use of the opportunity as he came up with an improvised dragflick, kept the ball low to beat the Pakistani keeper and take India’s lead to a formidable 5-0. Pakistan finally found a breakthrough in the 41st minute when Ajaz Ahmad took advantage of a defensive error on India’s part to put the ball past keeper Vikas Dahiya.
The final quarter saw Pakistan make some desperate attempts on goal but India did well to contain their opponents with good defence. With less than six minutes for the final hooter, Talwinder Singh swiftly dribbling into the striking circle did well to find his man Ramandeep on the far post who made a rapid attempt on goal. But Pakistani defender Rizwan Jr. Muhammad was impeccable in his effort to deny Ramandeep his third goal of the match. Mandeep Singh managed to take India’s lead to 6-1 in the 59th minute scoring the goal off a rebound. India won a PC in the dying seconds of the match when Pakistan defender fouled in the circle through a stick tackle but Harmanpreet’s effort was defended well and India walked away with a comfortable 6-1 win.
On June 25, India will take on Canada for the 5th/ 6th position at 16.15 Hours IST.
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Indian Oil crowned 121st Beighton Cup champions

KOLKATA: Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) claimed the title in the 121st Beighton Cup Hockey Tournament after beating Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) 5-3 in the final played at SAI Complex in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Indian Oil, who fell short against Punjab National Bank (PNB) in the final last year, began the match on an aggressive note and fired three times in the first half through two India internationals in Gurjinder Singh (4th and 22nd minute) and S.K. Uthappa (12th) to take a three goal cushion at the half time.

BPCL made a strong comeback in the second half and sounded the board twice in span of two minutes through Amir Khan (42nd) and Varun Kumar (44th).

However, in the very next minute Indian Oil extended their lead to 4-2 through former India forward Deepak Thakur, then three minutes later experienced Prabhjot Singh found the target to make the scoreline 5-2.

Towards the end BPCL went all out and were also rewarded with a goal in the 63rd minute courtesy Harmanpreet Singh, but that was all BPCL could manage as Indian Oil thereafter managed to hold on to their two goal cushion to clinch their fifth Beighton Cup title.

Indian Oil midfielder Kothajit Singh was awarded with the Best Player award, while the Fairplay Trophy was given to Central Secretariat.

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BPCL, Indian Oil face-off in 121st Beighton Cup final

KOLKATA: The 121st Beighton Cup final will be played between Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Indian Oil (IOC) as both the teams registered comfortable victories in semifinals on Monday at SAI Complex in Kolkata.

While BPCL beat the defending champions Punjab National Bank (PNB) 5-2, Indian Oil overcame the challenge of ONGC 5-3.

PNB started the match on a attacking note but as it progressed BPCL were the dominant side. Former India international Tushar Khandker and 2016 Junior World Cup winning captain Harjeet Singh were outstanding throughout the game.

India international S.V. Sunil gave BPCL the lead in the 29th minute with Jarnail Singh joining him on the scoresheet six minutes later. In the second half BPCL completely outclassed PNB as Sunil sounded the board thrice in the 37th, 43rd and 50th minute before Shamsher Singh (56th) and Gagandeep Singh (67th) reduced the margin for PNB.

The second semifinal was comparatively evenly matched encounter. India international V.R. Raghunath gave Indian Oil lead in the 26th minute, but ONGC responded almost immediately through Diwakar Ram who struck the equalizer just two minutes later.

After change of ends, Indian Oil showed attacking intent and restored their lead in the 45th minute courtesy Roshan Minz before ONGC struck back to back through Gurbaj Singh (55th) and Vikramjit Singh (62nd) to take a 3-2 lead.

However, Indian Oil exhibited tremendous fighting spirit in the later stages of the game and scored three times in last six minutes through Gurjinder Singh (64th) and former India forward Deepak Thakur (66th & 70th) to set up the summit clash with BPCL on Tuesday (27th December).

Photo Credits: Sports India Live

 

 

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PNB, ONGC and Indian Oil makes into the Beighton Cup semis

KOLKATA: Punjab National Bank, ONGC and Indian Oil has made it to the semi-finals of the 121st Beighton Cup after winning their respective matches against CAG Delhi, Punjab & Sind Bank and Army XI on Saturday at SAI Complex in Kolkata.

In the first game of the day, Punjab National Bank trounce CAG Delhi 5-1. For PNB, Gagandeep Singh struck a brace while Gurjinder Singh, Sumit Toppo and Shamsher Singh each sounded the board once before Navneet scored a consolation goal for CAG.

In others matches, ONGC edged past Punjab & Sind Bank 4-3 in a nail biting encounter. Simranjeet Singh, Ajay Yadav, Diwakar Ram and Jasbir Singh were on target for ONGC while Sarvanjit Singh scored twice  with Gaganpreet Singh also getting on the scoresheet for Punjab & Sind Bank.

In another fixture, Indian Oil beat Army XI 3-0. Roshan Minz, Vikas Sharma and Deepak Thakur netted the goals.

These three teams will be joined by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in the semifinals, to be played on Monday where Bharat Petroleum will face Punjab National Bank while ONGC takes on Indian Oil.

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Army XI, ONGC starts with win in 121st Beighton Cup

KOLKATA: Rail Coach Factory (RCF) Kapurthala went goal crazy in the ongoing 121st Beighton Cup, smashing Kolkata Police AC 12-0 in a quarterfinal round match on Friday.

Ajmeer Singh (3), Deepak Kumar (2), Karanpal Singh (2), Pardeep Singh, Sankalp Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh and Gouravjit Singh found the back of the net in a one-sided match at SAI Complex at Kolkata.

In other matches, Army XI beat Central Secretariat 5-3 with Ramandeep Singh (2), A.J. Rakesh, Gurpinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh getting onto the score-sheet for Army, who trail 2-3 at half time.

K.B. Ponnana, Vinayak and M. Hassan Basha got the goals for Central Secretariat.

In another fixture, ONGC breezed past Eastern Railway 5-2. Diwakar Ram netted a brace for ONGC while Gurwinder Chandi, Ajay Yadav and P. Machaiah each struck solitary goals before Sulamand Lakra and Gunjan pulled a couple of goals back for Eastern Railway.

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BPCL, PNB and ERSA win matches in 121st Beighton Cup

KOLKATA: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) beat Rail Coach Factory (RCF) Kapurthala 6-3, in a quarterfinal league match of the 121st Beighton Cup Hockey Tournament at the SAI Complex in Kolkata on Thursday to register their second win. BPCL had beaten Kolkata Police 12-1 in the first match.

For BPCL Amir Khan scored a hat-trick while Sher Singh, Lalit Upadhyay and Harmanpreet netted a goal each. RCF Kapurthala, on the other hand, did not go down without a fight as they scored through Simrandeep Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh. With this win BPCL have qualified for semifinals of the competition.

In today’s second match defending champions Punjab National Bank eased past Bhubaneswar Hostel 5-2. Sukhdeep Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Gagandeep Singh, and Shamsher Singh were on target for PNB while Nilamsanjib Xess and Alok Barla pulled a couple of goals back for Bhubaneswar Hostel.

In another game, Eastern Railway (ERSA) beat Punjab & Sind Bank 6-4. Silanand Lakra (2), Saurav Kumar Singh, Alsam Lakra, Dipak Kullua and Mohammad Riyazuddin got the goals for Eastern Railway and for PNB Gaganpreet Singh (2), Ramandeep Singh and Paramjit Singh found the back of the net.

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Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil score big wins in 121st Beighton Cup

KOLKATA: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) rejoiced a 12-1 win against Kolkata Police AC in a Group A match of the ongoing 121st Beighton Cup Hockey Tournament.

The match which was played at the SAI Complex in Kolkata on Wednesday morning saw Ehtesham Khan, Manpreet Singh, Amir Khan, Harmanpreet, Lalit Upadhyay, Varun Kumar, Hari Prasad and Tushar Khandekar score a goal each while Sher Singh and Jarnail Singh net two goals. The policemen could only net a single goal courtesy Atanu Saha against the tough defence put up by BPCL.

On the other hand, in a match held in the afternoon, Bhubaneswar Hostel beat Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) 3-1. For Bhubaneswar Hostel Teophil Kujur (2) and Suman Kujur found the back of the net after Nithin Timmaiah put CAG into the lead.

Meanwhile, Indian Oil (IOC) trounce Central Secretariat 8-1 in the last match of the day. Sanjay Kumar (3), Raghunath V.R. (2), Gurjinder Singh (2) and Khotajit Singh were on target for Indian Oil while Central Secretariat pulled a goal back through their skipper Jayesh Jadhav.

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Central Secretariat rout SAI to progress into quarterfinal league stage of 121st Beighton Cup

KOLKATA: Central Secretariat successfully progressed into the quarter-final league stage of the 121st Beighton Cup after beating SAI Training Centre 5-1 at SAI Complex in Kolkata on Tuesday.

While Joshua Vessoakar converted from penalty corner, Nilesh K.A. and Jayesh Jadhav scored a couple of field goals each for Central Secretariat, who led 3-0 at half time, before Raushan Kumar struck a consolation goal for SAI.

Central Secretariat, who are pitted in Group B alongside Indian Oil and Army XI, would take on Indian Oil tomorrow at 2:30 pm.

Meanwhile the second match of the day between Eastern Railway and Howrah Union got abandoned due to some unavoidable circumstances and will be played tomorrow at 9 am.

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121st Beighton Cup begins at Kolkata

KOLKATA: The 121st All India Beighton Cup Hockey Tournament got underway with the pre quarter-final round matches happening at the SAI Complex in Kolkata. Though the qualifiers started from December 16 but the main round of country’s oldest domestic hockey competition began today.

In the opening match Kolkata Polica AC trounce Canara Bank 5-1. While Gurpreet Singh converted three penalty corners in the 4th, 16th and 42nd minute to score a fine hat-trick, Pritam Mistri (46th) and Atanu Saha (60th) scored field goals for Police AC. Vergese John struck a consolation goal in the 57th minute for Canara Bank.

Meanwhile in the second match, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) edged past Central Railways 5-4 (1-1) on penalties. CAG drew the first blood in the 17th minute through their skipper Nithin Thimmaiah, but Central Railways equalized through Naved Bhavdav in the 27th minute when he converted a penalty stroke.

Thereafter both teams failed to break the deadlock forcing the game to be decided on penalties where CAG proved to be better shooters.