Pune: GST & Customs, Central Railway in goal fest, enter semis

Pune, 30th June, 2023: GST & Customs along with Central Railway, Pune scored twenty-goals among themselves enroute huge wins over their opponents to sail into the semifinals of the Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Hockey Tournament 2023, at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium, Nehrunagar, Pimpri on Friday.

A five goal effort by Taleb Shaha helped GST & Customs show no mercy against Hockey Lovers Sports Club and ended up 8-0 winners. Harish Shindgi (21st) opened the scoring, while Taleb Shaha (23rd) and Dharambir Yadav (34th swelled the tally to close out half time 3-0 in favour of GST & Customs.

After the change-over Taleb (49th, 52nd, 54th, 58th) went on a scoring spree netting four goals before Pranav Mane (55th) converted a penalty corner to complete the tally.

Central Railway, Pune netted a dozen past a hapless Kids XI with Vineet Kamble (41st, 47th, 51st, 54th) emerging hero with a four goal second half.

In a one-sided affair, Railways began by earning a penalty stroke which Govind Nag (1st) scored. Thereafter a brace by Tarush Singh (4th, 18th) and a three-goal feat by Aditya Rasal, which included two penalty-corner conversions (17th & 29th) and field goal in the 19th minute opened the floodgates. Stephan Swami (26th) added a goal to take the tally to an unassailable 7-0 lead.

In the second half, Ruben Kedari (49th) slammed home a penalty corner to add himself into the scorebooks.

In the semifinals Income Tax play Krida Prabodhini, while GST & Customs take on Central Railway, Pune on Saturday.

RESULTS

QF-3: GST & Customs, Pune: 8 (Harish Shindgi 21st; Taleb Shaha 23rd, 49th, 52nd, 54th, 58th; Dharambir Yadav 34th; Pranav Mane 55th – p.c) b Hockey Lovers Sports Club: 0. HT: 2-0

QF-4: Central Railways, Pune: 12 (Govind Nag 1st – p.s; Tarush Singh 4th, 18th; Aditya Rasal 17th – p.c, 19th, 29th – p.c; Stephan Swami 26th ; Vineet Kamble 41st, 47th, 51st, 54th; Ruben Kedari 49th – p.c ) b Kids XI: o. HT: 7-0

SATURDAY’S FIXTURES

Income Tax v Krida Prabodhini -1.30; GST & Customs v Central Railway, Pune – 3.00pm