MEG, Canara Bank qualify

With this victory, MEG topped the table with 13 points from five matches while Canara Bank, who scored a 2-1 win over Central Excise, finished second with eleven points. Both the teams qualified for the second phase.

MEG were brilliant from the outset, creating chances aplenty with PR Muthanna and Poovanna the chief architects. With Sappers continuously on attack, CoE were forced to sit on the defensive for the better part. While they did keep MEG at bay for almost 50 minutes successfully, the pressure got to them finally before going down to a heavy defeat.

In the 51st minute, Sahay Jayaseelan won a penalty stroke for MEG after he was obstructed by CoE defender. The striker then converted successfully, slamming it to the right of CoE goalkeeper Kirthi that started the goal rush.

Four minutes later, Poovanna struck from a penalty corner to put MEG 2-0 up. The Kodava then collected his second, set up brilliantly by Muthanna in the 58th minute. The medio produced a fine run from the centre, dribbling past three defenders before slamming it powerfully from the edge of the circle. The ball ricocheted off the post but Poovanna, completely unmarked, made it 3-0 with a simple tap-in.

Two minutes into the hour, Poovanna completed his hat-trick with a powerful drag-flick from the Sappers’ final penalty corner of the match.

Pruthvi Shetty then slammed the fifth a minute from time, connecting Jayaseelan’s cross from the right.

Earlier in the day’s opening match, MLI edged out HASC 2-1. Kumbhar put MLI ahead in the 29th minute before doubling the lead two minutes later. Nanaiah struck the consolation goal for HASC in the 69th minute. The second match of the day also ended 2-1 with Canara Bank emerging victors over Central Excise.

Results: MLI: 2 (Kumbhar 29th, 31st) bt HASC: 1 (Nanaiah 69th). Canara Bank: 2 (Appanna 31st, Varghese John 68th) bt Central Excise: 1 (Ajay Aiyappa 69th). MEG: 5 (Sahay Jayaseelan 51st, Poovanna 55th, 58th, 62nd, Pruthvi Shetty 69th) bt CoE: 0.