Inter-Department National Hockey: CAG, SAI make a winning start

Bengaluru, Dec 18 (IANS) Comptroller & Auditor General of India and Sports Authority of India recorded easy wins on the opening day of the 1st Hockey India Senior Men Inter-Department National Championship 2021 played at the Field Marshal KM Cariappa Hockey Stadium here on Saturday.

On a day that saw a number of matches being forfeited because many teams did not reach the venue. The matches between Services Sports Control Board and Defence Accounts Sports Control Board in Pool A; Association Of Indian Universities with Central Reserve Police Force in Pool A, All India Police Sports Control Board with Steel Plants Sports Board in Pool B and Petroleum Sports Promotion Board with Major Port Sports Control Board in Pool C were forfeited, resulting in a 5-0 default win for Services Sports Control Board, Central Reserve Police Force, All India Police Sports Control Board and Petroleum Sports Promotion Board respectively.

In the first match of the day, CAG marched to a strong 3-0 win against Food Corporation of India (FCI) in their Pool C encounter.

Dominating the proceedings right from the first hooter, CAG established a good lead in the second quarter with Chandan Singh showing fine form to score back-to-back goals through penalty corner conversions in the 18th and 19th minutes. With a comfortable 2-0 lead, they succeeded in putting pressure on the FCI early in the match. In the 57th minute, they scored the third goal through Mohd. Naeemuddin to end the match on a winning note.

In another exciting match of the day, Sports Authority of India made a late surge to register a fine 2-1 win against Canara Bank in their Pool B match. While it was SAI that caught the Canara Bank defence napping in the early minutes of the game with a field goal by Rimanshu in the 2nd minute, Canara Bank staged a comeback in the second quarter with a fine goal by forward Nikkin Thimmiah, who has played for India in the Rio Olympics 2016. It was a good variation in the penalty corner conversion that ensured they equalised in the 21st minute.

Sports Authority of India, however, made a late surge in the final quarter to snatch the winning three points. It was a goal by Roshan F that helped them secure their first victory in the group stage.