KSHA SUPER DIVISION PHASE ONE

Bangalore: Sports Authority of India (SAI) frittered away a two-goal advantage to settle for a 2-2 draw with Madras Engineer Group and Centre (MEG) in the first phase of the Super Division hockey league
at the SAI South Centre on Thursday.

The second encounter of the day too finished with the same scoreline with Centre of Excellence and Karnataka State Police (KSP) splitting points.

Earlier, SAI dominated the first-half with frequent attacks. Their midfielders worked industriously and the defence too rose to the challenge with aplomb.

SAI went ahead in the eighth minute when the wellbuilt Nilesh KA successfully sorted out a narrow angle from the right with a powerful shot.

The SAI boys continued to split the rival defence with swift moves but had to wait till the 22nd minute for their second goal.

Drag-flicker Deepak Bijwad made no mistake with his third set-piece attempt, shooting the ball to the top right.

Just when it looked SAI would steamroller their opponents, Sappers reduced the arrears a minute from halftime through a penalty corner conversion by Kiran Kunjappa. The script took a surprising twist in the second session as MEG medios woke up and thwarted SAI plans to increase the lead.

In the 50th minute, the Sappers put behind the disappointment of umpire Parimal Kumar disallowing — what they reckoned — a goal two minutes earlier, as Keshavan scored the equaliser through a penalty corner.

SAI started to feel the heat with their strikers failing to give the final touches on more than one occasion to come away with a draw.