Mumbai thrash Vidarbha to clinch zonal title and qualify

Mumbai were up 3-0 through penalty corner goals from Devender Walmiki (17th minute) and Suresh Kanguja (26th and 30th minutes) before Vidarbha pulled one back midway through the latter half when Aamir Shabbir Khan scored off a penalty corner.

However, a field goal from Laxman Rao, who was fed a fine forward pass to apply the finishing touches by his captain Tyrone Pereira two minutes later, virtually dashed Vidarbha's hopes of a comeback and gave Mumbai a handsome 4-1 lead.

The final nail on Vidarbha's coffin was hammered by Walmiki who notched his second goal of the match via Mumbai's ninth penalty corner two minutes from the end.

 

The title triumph has ensured Mumbai's berth in the inter-zonal round where the winners of the six zones (west, east, north, south, central and north east), along with direct entrants Air India, Indian Railways and Services, would compete for the top honours.

The dates and venue of the inter zonal round are yet to be decided by the IHF.