Services beat J

Srinagar, Jun 9 (UNI) Continuing their winning spree, Services overwhelmed hosts Jammu and Kashmir 3-2 to become the first team to reach the semi-finals of the of the 62nd National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy here today.

Services won all their three quarter-final league matches to top the pool with nine points while Jammu and Kashmir failed to win any of their league matches Services stamped their authority over Jammu and Kashmir from the word go as they forged ahead in the 9th minute when S Raleng put the ball into net.

However, Jammu and Kashmir also got a number opportunities to equalise but failed to beat the rival's defence.

Down by a goal at interval, hosts went all out and attacked the Services goal. But they had to wait for the equaliser until 55th minute when Rohit Kumar scored a brilliant goal from the top of the cricle.

However, the joy for the hosts was short lived as just five minutes later Shahji D Silva made it 2-1 for winners and S Raleng made it 3-1 in favour of Services when he beat the jammu and Kashmir's goalkeeper ten minutes later.

Jammu and Kashmir, who lost both their earlier league matches against Kerala and Punjab, could not match their opponents' expertise and failed to find the target.

However, the star striker Ishfaq's header went into net after beating the rival goalkeeper about 17 minutes before the long whistle.

UNI FMH RAR PM1717