Lajong stun Mohun Bagan

Kolkata, March 27: Last year’s runners-up Mohun Bagan’s title hopes today went up in smoke after succumbing to a humiliating 1-4 defeat at the hands of debutant Shillong Lajong FC in a round 18 match of the I-League here. Having stunned by last-placed Sporting Clube de Goa in their last round fixture, Mohun Bagan were dealt another big blow at Yuba Bharati Krirangan today when the club from North-East scored two goals in each half to register a comfortable win against the local favourite.

Lajong drew first blood through Seikhohao Tuboi in the ninth minute and then Kelechi Okoya doubled the scoreline in the 20th minute. Bagan, however, reduced the margin through Surkumar Singh in the 37th minute.

But injury time goals from Niwan-O-Gatphoh (90+2”) and Anil Gurung (90+3”) sealed Bagan’s fate. With this win , Lajong climbed up from the relegation zone to be on third last spot with 20 points.

The drop of points for Mohun Bagan (25) meant their title aspirations are over as they are 10 points below leaders Dempo (30), who scored a 2-1 win over JCT in another round 18 match today. Irate Bagan fans hurled abuses against the club officials, especially the management’s decision to replace experienced Moroccan coach Karim Bencherifa with rookie Satyajit Chatterjee.

Under Chatterjee the club suffered two back-to-back defeats against little known teams. Missed chances from their dependable players Jose Ramirez Barreto, Edeh Chidi and Snehashish Chakraborty were the order of the day for Bagan as Stanley Rozario’s boys from Shillong took the early lead through Tuboi. (PTI).

SAISC best team

SAISC best team

By our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 13: Sports Authority of India Sports Club (SAISC) lifted the best team title in the GSA Inter Club Athletic competition which concluded at the Nehru Stadium here today. SAISC altogether won 45 medals in the tournament which included 25 golds, 12 silvers and 8 bronze medals. Maharana Athletic Club won the runners-up title collecting 15 golds, 13 silvers and 11 bronzes.

In the individual categories, Rinchu Rava of Maharana collected the best athlete award in the U-18 Boys’ section. The trophy for the U-18 Girls’ section was won by Puja Kumari Gupta of SAISC. The best athlete trophy of the U-14 Boys’ and Girls’ section were claimed by Ramu Das (Manipuri Basti High School) and Krishna Saikia (Sarusajai Sports Club).

It may be mentioned here that altogether 92 athletes from different clubs of the city took part in the championship. The closing function of the championship were attended by the president and secretary of the Gauhati Sports Association Pulak Goswami and Munin Nobis respectively along with few other veteran sports organizers. THE SENTINEL

India out of semifinal race, lose to England 2-3

India out of semifinal race, lose to England 2-3

New Delhi, March 6: India’s marginal hopes of entering the semifinals of the hockey World Cup went up in smoke as England thrashed the home team 3-2 to secure their place in the last-four stage of the mega-event here today.

The defeat not only saw India go out of contention for the semifinal race but the hosts also registered their third straight loss in the tournament after having bruised an equally unimpressive Pakistan 4-1 in their tournament opener.

With four wins from as many matches, England are through to the last-four stage of the tournament and will take on Spain in their inconsequential last pool match on Monday, while India will play South Africa.

Ashley Jackson (42nd and 47th minutes) and James Tindall (16th) of England continued their good show in the tournament, while Gurvinder Singh Chandi (54th) and captain Rajpal Singh (58th) scored for India at the floodlit Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

India lacked the hunger for victory after their back-to-back defeats and looked like a club side in front of their home crowd, committing numerous errors in the all departments of the game. The Indians seemed to have not learnt from their mistakes in the last two matches as they kept on giving open spaces to their opponents inside their circle.

India’s ball-control and trapping was awful. To add to it, the defence, for the third consecutive day, faltered. (PTI)

Germany toy with Canada

Germany toy with Canada

New Delhi, March 3: Defending champions Germany sounded a warning to their rivals with a 6-0 pounding of Canada in their second pool A match of the Hockey World Cup here on Wednesday. After being held 2-2 by South Korea in the opening match, Germany breathed life into their campaign with a clinical routing of Canada. Germany, who are looking to win the World Cup third time on the trot, went 4-0 up in the first half with a field a score from Benjamin Wess (3rd minute), and penalty-corner conversions from Jan-Marco Montag (21st), captain Maximilian Muller (22nd) and Martin Haner (27th).

Promising striker Florian Fuchs slotted two goals in the second half (58th, 63rd minute) as Germany logged three points to take their tally to four. It was the second biggest victory for Germany in their World Cup history. They came close to their best performance, 7-0 win against India in 1998. Germany completely dominated the first half and controlled the game right from the start. Much of the play was in the Canadian half as German strikers made relentless forays. Canadian goalkeeper Dave Carter had a busy day and made some good saves. Germany, who wasted half a dozen penalty corners against South Korea, earned eight penalty corners in the match and converted three, all in the first half. Wess scored his second goal of the tournament after Oskar Deecke set the ball up for him. Germany then got two successive penalty corners but Canadian goalkeeper Dave Carter and defender Paul Wettlaufer did well to save the drag-flicks of skipper Muller and Montag. But Montag found his touch five minutes later, striking home the second goal from the next penalty corner.

Montag and Muller then combined to score the team's third goal with a beautiful set piece. The former set the ball for his captain who slammed the ball high into the Canadian goal. Haner added to the tally with a low drag flick to the bottom left corner. Germany maintained the tempo in the second half as well. Matthias Witthaus with a neat dribble paved the way for Fuchs to score the fifth goal and the latter then finished in style with a brilliant reverse flick for the sixth. (IANS)

JCT beat Lajong to earn full points

JCT beat Lajong to earn full points

By our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI, March 3: Poor run in I-League continued for Shillong Lajong FC as the side lost its home match against JCT by 0-1 in Shillong today. The all important goal of the match was scored by Emmanuel Okoro in the 75th minute of the match to give his side full points. It was just a bad day for Shillong Lajong FC as they dominated the entire first half and failed to convert as many as three open chances. While JCT too failed to utilize the two chances that fell in the their kitty. Lajong started the game on attacking note and came close to open the account through Rohmingthanga, but his 10th minute strike was just inches wide of the woodwork.

A good work from JCT’s custodian Karanjit Singh, who was later adjudged man of the match award, again denied Lajong to take the lead in the 17th minute. Gumpe Rime, Lajong custodian, too made a few similar saves in the first half. JCT scored the only goal in the 75th minute when unchecked Okoro headed in substitute Jaswinder Singh’s cross into the far post. THE SENTINEL

India open with a blast

India open with a blast

Hero Honda FIH World Cup • Sandeep Singh scores twice as the host outclass Pakistan 4-1

NEW DELHI, March 1: Ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh rose to the occasion and converted two penalty corners as hosts India outplayed Pakistan 4-1 in a thrilling Pool B match of the Hero Honda FIH World Cup at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday.

With this victory India had avenged their 3-6 Champions Challenge defeat at the hands of the sub-continental rivals in Salta, Argentina last December.

The victory not only gave India a 3-2 head-to-head record against Pakistan in the quadrennial event but also one lakh purse each to the players and support staff of the team.

Sandeep (35th minute, 57th), Shivendra Singh (27th) and Prabhjot Singh (37th) were the scorers for India, while Sohail Abbas (59th) scored Pakistan’s lone goal.

Both India and Pakistan earned five penalty corners each, out of which the home team converted two while their opponent found the net once.

The match was also of huge significance for India and Pakistan on diplomatic front as both the countries are meeting in the sporting arena in India for the first time after 26/11 Mumbai carnage.