Mumbai XI, Air India sail into semis

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22

Mumbai XI defeated Air India by two goals before both the teams entered the semifinals of the 55th Nehru Senior Hockey Championship at the Sector 42 Sports Complex. 

Indian Railways, Punjab National Bank, Mumbai XI and Air India had already qualified for the semifinals on the basis of their better goal average.

Yuvraj Walmiki put the Mumbai XI ahead in the sixth minute of the match. Devinder Walmiki doubled the lead through a penalty corner in the 10th minute. Thereafter, both the teams concentrated on ball-possesion to finish the match without any fuss. 

In the second match of the day, Manish Yadav and Chandan Singh scored one goal each as CAG XI defeated Punjab & Sind Bank 2-1.  It was CAG XI who took the lead through Yadav in the 32nd minute. Their joy was short-lived as the bankmen managed to score an equaliser through Jaskaran Singh. He sounded the wooden plank in the 41st minute to cancel out the CAG lead.  The CAG team nosed ahead in the 68th minute when Chandan converted a penalty stroke to make it 2-1 in his team's favour. The score remained unchanged till the final whistle.