Steel Authority sail into super league

NEW DELHI, November 18: Indian Hockey Federation (Blues), Sports Hostel (Lucknow) and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) captured the t...

NEW DELHI, November 18: Indian Hockey Federation (Blues), Sports Hostel (Lucknow) and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) captured the top spots in their respective pools to join the eight seeded teams in the third phase of the super league of the Nehru-ONGC Senior Hockey tournament at the National Stadium here today. Earlier, Rock Rovers from Chandigarh had made the grade.

In today’s matches, IHF Blues scored a facile 1-0 victory over Air India Academy, SAIL drew 1-1 with FCI (Delhi) and Tata XI downed Bengal XI 2-0.

The IHF boys, having already made the grade, toyed with their opponents for a while before striking their only goal in the 23rd minute when Saurabh Bishnoi converted a penalty corner.

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As for Tata XI, their match against Bengal XI was only a formality and yet they played purposefully to strike twice in the first session before going into their shell. Raju Bagade and Enrico Fernandes were the scorers.

SAIL, on the other hand, to at least draw their game against FCI to fancy any chance of making the grade as a loss would have made Tamil Nadu XI qualifying. They converted a penalty corner through Arjun Hallappa to restore parity after being in the danger of being pushed out when FCI had taken the lead through Karunesh Bisht.

The super league commences from tomorrow and the 12 teams have been divided into four pools. They are:
Pool 1: Afghan Club, Bahawalpur (Pak), SAIL and Army XI; Pool 2: IHF Blues, Punjab Police, Sri Lanka XI; Pool 3: Air India XI, Punjab & Sind Bank and Sports Hostel; Pool 4: BSF, Northern Railways and Rock Rovers.