Namdharis shock Punjab, IOC enter semis

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Jalandhar, Oct 29 (UNI) Powerful Indian Oil Corporation Limited and unpretentious Namdharis XI recorded an identical 1-0 win over their respective rivals in the Super League of the Dainik Bhaskar-Tracer 62nd National Hockey Championship at the Olympic Surjit Hockey Stadium here today.

Namdharis pulled off a big upset as they eked out a 1-0 triumph over strong contenders and hosts Punjab in three-team Super League Pool A programme. Indian Oil, packed with a number of Olympians and internationals in their line-up, struggled to get the better of Railways, by 1-0.

Punjab gave a disappointing performance as a team though defender and captain Kanwalpreet Singh discharged his duty with devotion. The Namdhari forwards Sher Singh and Bachitar Singh gave a harrowing time to the Punjab defenders.

Punjab failed to earn even a single penalty corner in the first half. Their four penalty corners came in the 40th, 47th, 48th and 59th minutes. However, they could not convert any of these despite drag flicker Jugraj Singh trying his best.

Namdharis forced penalty corners in the 13th, 14th, 26th, 52nd and 61st minutes. Their fifth and last penalty corner fetched them the all-important goal through Gurpreet Singh.

Indian Oil Corporation fielded Baljit Singh under the bar instead of more experienced Devesh Chauhan. Baljit did a good job and stood like a rock. The formidable IOC forward line having heavy weights namely Sardara Singh, Inderjit Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Deedar Singh and Deepak Thakur in their ranks, were lucky to log full points despite Railways enjoying territorial supremacy but their forwards failed to translate this into goals. Railway forwards Deepak, captain Raju and Shamash Alam repeatedly penetrated the Indian Oil territory repeatedly.

Despite earning penalty corners in the 20th, 21st, 34th, 35th, 37th and 51st minutes, a goal eluded the Railways. They remained luckless.

The Indian Oil were awarded a solitary penalty corner in the 12th minute and lanky Deedar Singh converted it with a drag flick.

With two successive triumphs, Indian Oil topped three-team pool B super league and qualified for semi-final. In their first super league match IOC had beaten Tamil Nadu by 2-1, with Olympian Prabhjot Singh scoring the match-winner in the last minute on Saturday.

UNI XC DP DH BD1653

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