Jharkhand defeated Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) 1-0 while Gangpur-Odisha got the better of Association of Indian Universities (AIU) 3-2 in the 5th Senior Men's National Hockey Championship here today.
In the first match of the day in Pool B, both Jharkhand and Comptroller & Auditor General of India fought neck-to-neck in all four quarters of the match and thwarted each other's attacks.
Jharkhand scored the lone goal of the match in the 55th minute through their star player Deepak Kujur, who out-foxed the opponent defenders and hit the ball hard into the goal-box.
In the second match, Gangpur-Odisha beat Association of Indian Universities after a fierce battle. AIU drew the blood first when Manpreet Singh scored in the 25th minute after he breached the opponent's defence line.
Gangpur kept on charging and tasted their first success in the 43rd minute when Amulya Minz dribbled past the opposition defenders to score a brilliant goal.
Continuing the attacking game, Gangpur's Rasananda Khalkho stormed into AIU's half and made it 2-1 in the 51st minute. However, in the next minute, AIU counter-attacked with their star player Jatin Singh sending the ball soaring past the opposition goalkeeper.
Deepak Lakra then stunned the AIU defenders with his speed in the 57th minute as he dribbled past the defenders to pull off a brilliant goal and pave the way for Gangpur's victory.
