ABHA start campaign with win
Goals from Balram Kumar and Sarabjit Singh helped Ashish Ballal Hockey Academy (ABHA) open their campaign with a 2-0 win over Central Excise in a Pool ‘B’ match of the KSHA Ozonegroup Super Division league (first phase) here on Wednesday.
Both the goals came in the second half with Kumar sounding the board in the 42nd minute while Sarabjit striking in the 47th minute.
Looking the better side from the start of the proceedings, ABHA played a fast-paced game with Md Nizamuddin and Raju Pal tormenting the Central Excise defence. The duo, along with Lawrence, was threatening to strike with a set piece in the 28th minute but Central Excise custodian Aravind Jerome thwarted their attempt.
In the 32nd minute, Central Excise came close to scoring with Aiyappa and Nilesh’s one-two inside the D but the latter failed to provide the finishing touch. The teams took the break with no goals for either side.
Seven minutes after resumption, ABHA got the scoreboard rearranged as Kumar latched onto a Pal’s pass to launch a powerful hit. With the momentum in their favour, the Ramesh Parameshwaran-coached side went on the offensive.
The score became 2-0 in the 47th minute as Sarabjit drag-flicked off a penalty corner past Central Excise custodian Jerome.
The Excise men had an opportunity to pull one back in the 51st minute but Nilesh failed to push in a cross from Sathya. Central Excise also let two penalty corners go abegging in the last 15 minutes.
Results: DYSS ‘A’: 4 (Changappa 3rd, Sheshe Gowd 9th, Kusha JP 32nd, 47th) bt KSP: 2 (Asbir CM 34th, Suraj RB 56th); MEG ‘A’: 5 (Robin HM 2nd, Sajil TA 25th, 57th, Monnappa 45th, Bopanna CU 54th) bt HAL: 1 (Md Naeemuddin 28th); ABHA: 2 (Balram Kumar 42nd, Sarabjit Singh 47th) bt Central Excise: 0.
