Pune: SAI, Steel Plants Sports Board qualify for KOs
Pune, 10th September 2024: Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Steel Plants Sports Board won themselves a spot in the quarterfinals from their respective pools recording contrasting results in the 4th Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship ‘24 at Major Dhyanchand Stadium, Nehrunagar-Pimpri, organised by Hockey Maharashtra and supported by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), on Tuesday.
On a day of do-or-die battles for qualifications, SAI beat Central Board of Direct Taxes (CDT) 5-1 to claim second spot in Pool A with 9 points behind Petroleum Sports Promotion Board who topped the pool.
Lalit Negi (6th), Neeraj (28th), Pankaj (38th – p.s), 53rd – p.c and Rajat Minz (54th) scored for SAI. CDT reduced the margin through a Nachappa Ir (44th) strike.
Steel Plants Sports Board made it in second position from Pool-B after Canara Bank dramatically struck in the final minute to draw the game 3-3. Pradhan Somanna Pudiyokkada Somaiah converted a penalty corner to help Canara Bank earn a point. Earlier, Chandanda Aiyanna Nikkin Thimmaiah (4th); Somanna Km (33rd) scored for Canara Bank. For the Steel Plants Sports Board it was Dilbar Barla (5st); Bara Rabi (53rd) and Abdul Qadir (55th) who scored.
As a result Steel Plants Board finished with 7 points (4 matches) and qualified for the knockouts.
Pool-B saw an interesting end with the already-qualified Railway Sports Promotion Board were given a fight for their money by All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB) in a ding-dong battle which needed RSPB staging a comeback from a 3-2 situation and finally winning 4-3. RSPB ended up unbeaten in Pool-B.
RSPB scored through Parampreet Singh (4th – p.c), Yuvraj Walmiki (21st), Darshan Vibhav Gawkar (54th) and Simranjot Singh (56th), while the police team had Varinder Singh (37th – p.c; 45th) net a brace and Haris Mohammad (11th – p.c) net one.
The loss impacted AIPSCB who finished third in Pool-B with 6 points and pipped the Steel Plants Board (7 Points).
RESULTS
Pool-A: Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB): 5 (Gurjinder Singh 2nd – p.s; Shilanand Lakra 44th; Talvinder Singh 48th; Sumit Kumar 55th, 59th) Bt Indo Tibetan Border Police (I.T.B.T) – Central Hockey Team: 1 (Vijay Kumar Gond 37th). HT: 1-1
Pool-A: Central Board of Direct Taxes (CDT): 1 (Nachappa Ir 44th) lost to Sports Authority of India (SAI): 5 (Lalit Negi 6th; Neeraj 28th; Pankaj 38th – p.s, 53rd – p.c; Rajat Minz 54th). HT:0-2
Pool-B: All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB): 3 (Haris Mohammad 11th – p.c; Varinder Singh 37th – p.c; 45th) lost to Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB): 4 (Parampreet Singh 4th – p.c; Yuvraj Walmiki 21st; Darshan Vibhav Gawkar 54th; Simranjot Singh 56th). HT: 2-1
Pool-B: Steel Plant Sports Board (SPSB): 3 (Dilbar Barla 5st; Bara Rabi 53rd; Abdul Qadir 55th) drew with Canara Bank: 3 (Chandanda Aiyanna Nikkin Thimmaiah 4th; Somanna Km 33rd; Pradhan Somanna Pudiyokkada Somaiah 60th – p.c). HT: 0-1
