Holders Haryana register second win in hockey nationals

BANGALORE: Defending champions Haryana trounced Bengal 8-0 to register their second consecutive victory in the 2nd Hockey India Senior Men’s National Championship on Monday.

Haryana’s rout of Bengal in Pool A was an improvement from the hard-fought 2-1 win over Bhopal on the opening day.

Didar Singh led with a goal in each half — a penalty stroke in the fourth minute and a field goal in the 45th.

Arjun Antil, Bharat Chikara, Naveen Antil, Gagandeep Singh and Karamjit Singh scored field goals before Sardar Singh converted a penalty corner in the dying moments of the game to complete the tally for Haryana.

In a Pool C match, Punjab routed Chhattisgarh 12-0. After Gurjinder Singh converted a penalty corner in the second minute, Aakashdeep Singh topped the scorers’ list with five goals, including a hat-trick in the second half.

Sarvanjit Singh slotted home three times, Ravipal Singh twice while Talwinder Singh scored once for Punjab. In another Pool A match, debutant Bhopal rode on a goal in each half from Affan Yousuf to eke out Maharashtra 2-1. Narad Bahadur scored the lone goal for Maharashtra in the 44th minute.

Late last night, Air India beat Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 4-1 in a Pool E game. Prabodh Tirkey converted two penalty corners while Samir Dad (field goal) and Vikas Pillay (penalty corner) completed the tally for Air India. Vikas Choudhary’s goal reduced the margin for MP.

Results:

Pool A: Haryana 8 (Didar Singh 4, 45; Arjun Antil 34; Bharat Chikara 49, Naveen Antil 51, Gagandeep Singh 59, Karamjit Singh 65, Sardar Singh 70) beat Bengal 0; Bhopal 2 (Affan Yousuf 22, 63) beat Maharashtra 1 (Narad Bahadur 44).

Pool C: Punjab 12 (Gurjinder Singh 2, Aakashdeep Singh 10, 41, 50, 52, 69; Ravipal Singh 11, 23; Sarvanjit Singh 17, 26, 62; Talwinder Singh 59) beat Chhattisgarh 0; Services w.o. Arunachal Pradesh.

Pool E: Air India 4 (Prabodh Tirkey 2, Samir Dad, Vikas Pillay) bt Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 1 (Vikas Choudhary).