Defending champions Punjab start campaign in style

Tamil Nadu (yellow and Orange) and Rajasthan (blue) players battle for the ball during their hockey match in Pune on May 31, 2013

New Delhi, 31 May 2013: Defending Champions Punjab start their campaign with a big win over Gujarat 30-0 in their opening league match of Pool A in the 3rd Hockey India Senior Men National Championship played at Shiv Chhatrapati Shivaji Sports Complex in Pune on Friday.

Experienced side Punjab started their game on attacking mode and successfully built pressure on their opponents. Forward Vikramjit Singh scored maximum seven goals for Punjab followed by Simranjit Singh (6), Inderjeet Singh (5), Sarvanjit Singh (4), Ravi Pal (3), Jarnail Singh (3), Vikas Sharma (1) and Sandeep Singh (1).

Air India overwhelmed Tripura 13-0 to maintain their unbeaten run in the Pool B. For Air India, Skipper Arjun Halappa and Swamy Vinaya scored three goals each followed by Vikram Pillay (2), Affan Yousuf (2), Pradhan Somanna (2) and Subbaiah Darshan (1).

In the other match of Pool B, Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy defeated Puducherry 6-1. Vikas Chaudhary and Mohammad Nizamuddin scored twice each for Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy followed by a goal each from Rinku Yadav and Raju Singh.

Sashastra Seema Bal registered their first win out of the three matches played in Pool F, as they defeated Jammu & Kashmir 2-0. Vinay Bishwakarma and (O Gunamai Singh) scored a goal each for Sashastra Seema Bal.

In Pool D, Uttar Pradesh drew 2-2 with Andaman & Nicobar while Mumbai Hockey Association Limited routed hosts The Hockey Maharashtra 2-1.

In Pool H, Tamil Nadu easily defeated Rajasthan 20-0.

Results

Pool A- Punjab 30 (Vikas Sharma 3, Ravi Pal 6, 26, 70, Sandeep Singh 7, Inderjeet Singh 8, 29, 57, 62, 63, Vikramjit Singh 17, 23, 37, 38, 47, 65, 67, Sarvanjit Singh 24, 31, 35, 55, Simranjit Singh 19, 33, 48, 50, 60, 64, Jarnail Singh 53, 59, 69 )Gujarat 0

Pool B- Air India 13 (Vikram Pillay 1, 33, Swamy Vinaya 14, 19, 42, Affan Yousuf 29, 67, Arjun Halappa 43, 46, 66, Subbaiah Darshan 52, Pradhan Somanna 53, 56) beat Tripura 0

Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 6 (Vikas Chaudhary 42, 51, Rinku Yadav 61, Mohammad Nizamuddin 62, 65, Raju Singh 63) beat Puducherry 1 (Tamilarasan 32)

Pool D- Uttar Pradesh 2 (Siddarth Shankar 21, 30) drewAndaman & Nicobar 2 (Robin HM 3, Chandan Aind 60)

Mumbai Hockey Association Limted 2 (Jayesh Jadhav 17, Own Goal 60) beat The Hockey Maharashtra 1 (Reuben Kedari 56)

Pool F- Sashastra Seema Bal 2 (Vinay Bishwakarma 60, O Gunamai Singh 68) beat Jammu & Kashmir 0

Pool H- Tamil Nadu 20 (V Shanmugam 2, 57, 70, Kannan 8, Ashok Kumar 9, 41, 62, Vinod Rayer 11, 22, 35, 39, 45, Kiran Raje 14, Suresh Kumar 24, 59, 65, Gnanavel 31, Gunasekaran 50, 58, 64) beat Rajasthan 0