Date:13/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/13/stories/2008041359641700.htm

Sport - Hockey

Air-India (North) thumps Mumbai Customs

Special Correspondent

Sameer Dad came up with three clever goals
Air-India (Mumbai) confirmed qualification for the semifinals from Pool ‘D’

MUMBAI: Indian Airlines, playing under a new name — Air-India (North) — however, displayed the flowing passing and stunning goals of old at the Mahindra Stadium here to smother Mumbai Customs 7-2 in a Pool ‘B’ quarterfinal league match of the 46th Bombay Gold Cup hockey tournament.

Sameer Dad came up with three clever goals, plus a timely pass along the turf across the goalmouth for Ravinder to connect with a forward dive and sound the board.

Sandeep Singh scored twice despite a subdued role in the defence, with one trademark drag flick to the roof of the net and one penalty stroke conversion.

Air-India (Mumbai), confirmed qualification for the semifinals from Pool ‘D’ by defeating Indian Navy 7-2 and topping the group ahead of Punjab Police.

Len Aiyappa fired in two penalty corner shots for the airmen, who were ahead 6-0 at one stage.

Good reflexes

Mumbai Customs’ custodian Lincoln Taites showed confidence and reflexes in the first-half, blocking A-I (North) assaults from all sides. Dad beat him for the first time in the 24th minute, tapping home a rebound.

Then A-I (North) forwards got into the act and slammed in six more. The best was a speedy passing bout through the middle between Dad and captain Dhanraj Pillay, the former finishing the move almost on the goal-line with a swerve and shot on the run.

Army XI, led by international Dhananjay Mahadik, emerged as a potential challenger to A-I (North) with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Namdhari XI in the Mumbai Hockey Association-organised event.

The results:

Quarterfinal league: Pool ‘D’: Punjab Police 6 (Sukhdeep Singh 2, Gabbar Singh 2, Ravinder Singh, Satwinder Singh) bt Panposh XI 1 (Amyla Minz); Air-India (Mumbai) 7 (Len Aiyappa 2, Vinod Pillay 2, Alden D’Souza, Yuvraj Walmiki, Joga Singh) bt Indian Navy 2 (Pradeep Kullu, Rajan Lakra).

Pool ‘B’: Air-India (North) 7 (Sameer Dad 3, Sandeep Singh 2, Vikram Pillay, Ravinder Singh) bt Mumbai Customs 2 (Stanley Fernandes, Suresh Singh); Army XI 2 (Jerome Kujur, Sunil Ekka) bt Namdhari XI 1 (Karmjit Singh).