CHA, PSB to clash for title

Chandigarh: Chandigarh Hockey Academy overcame stiff resistance from Lucknow Hockey Academy before winning 2-1 in a hotly contested semifinal match of the inaugural Administrator’s Challenge Cup U-17 Hockey Tournament, being organised by the Chandigarh Sports Department, at Sector 42 Hockey Stadium on Tuesday.

In the first half, Lucknow Hockey Academy initiated many moves but could not capitalize on the opportunities that came their way. CHA’s both goals came in the first half and were scored by Damandeep Singh. CHA drag flicker Gurjinder Singh’s powerful shot deflected off a Lucknow defender’s stick and a well-positioned Damandeep pounced on the rebound to guide the ball into the goal in the seventh minute.

After conceding the goal, Lucknow Hockey Academy boys laid siege to the CHA goal, forcing penalty corners in the 10th, 22nd and 25th minutes. The CHA defence thwarted all their moves.

CHA got their second goal against the run of play in the 31st minute. Launching a counter-attack, the CHA forwards pierced the Lucknow defence and Damandeep found the target again. In the second half, the Lucknow team was able to reduce the margin in the 58th minute when Deepak Yadav scored a field goal.

Punjab and Sind Bank Academy stroked out Surjit Hockey Academy by an aggregate 5-4 margin in an all-Jalandhar semifinal contest. The teams played a one-all draw in the regulation period and 15 minutes of extra time also could not resolve the deadlock. In the tiebreaker session, Punjab and Sind Bank scored through Paramjit Singh, Varinder Singh, Joga Suingh and Rajnish Kumar. For Surjit Hockey Academy, Upinder Singh, Deepinder Singh and Satinder Singh converted their penalty strokes.

Surjit Hockey Academy were responsible for their exit as they could convert only one penalty corner out of nine awarded to them.

On the other hand the bankmen succeeded in converting one of the two penalty corners they earned in the match. It was PSB who fired the first salvo by converting their short corner in the 22nd minute through Anandeep Singh. PSB led by a slander 1-0 lead in the first half.

Surjit Hockey Academy pressed hard on resumption and their efforts bore fruit as they neutralised the lead with a penalty corner conversion through Bikramjit Singh in the 58th minute.