Railways qualifies despite draw

Railways, Puducherry, Karnataka, Air India, Kerala and Orissa qualified for the knockout rounds of Hockey India’s first National senior men’s championship here.

Even though the keenly contested league match between Railways and Combined Universities ended in a 2-2 draw, the former qualified due to a better goal average.

In a Pool G match, Puducherry thrashed Tripura 10-0, while Karnataka defeated Chandigarh 7-1 in a Pool B tie.

AIR INDIA MAKES IT

A star-studded Air India faced some tough times before getting the better of Uttar Pradesh 3-2 in a Pool D match.

Kerala defeated Chhattisgarh 2-0, while Orissa humbled host Madhya Pradesh’s State Men’s Hockey Academy team 3-0 to ensure a place in the knock-out rounds.