SGGS-Mahilpur emerge soccer champs

Deepankar Sharda

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 4

SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, emerged champs in the inter-college football championship. DAV College, Hoshiarpur, and SGGS College, Sector 26, Chandigarh, secured second and third position, decided on the goal average, respectively. The host team GHG Khalsa College faced humiliating defeat and stood at fourth position.

In the first tie of the last day, SGGS Khalsa College, Mahilpur, finished their campaign with a 1-0 win over SGGS College, Sector 26, Chandigarh. Playing in absence of match winning strikers, SGGS College, Mahilpur, played a defensive game. Their strategy helped them to hold back rivals for the first 45 minutes. Repositioning themselves, after lemon break, the Mahilpur side changed their approach and started playing long passes to initiate attacks from right and left flanks. However, the experienced defense of Chandigarh’s outfit managed to keep their calm and displayed supporting combination along with their midfielders. As the match’s fate was apparent to be a draw, the Chandigarh outfit received a jolt as their main stopper-back suffered head injury and left the field. At the time when Simranjeet was receiving medical help for getting back to field, near the touch line, Mahilpur’s Hardeep Kumar took full advantage of the situation and moved towards the danger area, before aiming a perfectly timed shot, in the 72th minute. Kumar, with no mistake, scored a solid goal to help his team in claiming the upper hand. Chandigarh side tried hard to level the match but their inexperienced strikers failed to clear Mahilpur’s arena. With this win, Mahilpur side attained first position, on the basis of two wins and one draw. While Chandigarh’s outfit bagged one draw, one win and faced one defeat.

In the second league match, the host GHG Khalsa College Gurusar Sadhar faced humiliating defeat against DAV College Hoshiarpur 4-0. The Hoshiarpur side lost one match, played one draw and won their last tie to overtake SGGS Chandigarh to claim second place (on the basis of goal scored average). The host side lost two matches and played one draw to finish last. Both the teams started well, however, the host side conceded an own goal off the last touch by Hariender Kumar in the 5th minute. Stunned by the opening goal, the host recovered and disturbed rival’s defence on regular intervals however failed to level the game.

In the second half, when the spectators were eagerly waiting for host’s recovery, the side conceded back to back three goals, in 73rd minute, 83rd minute and 87th minute, by Hardeep Kumar, Davi and Davir, respectively, to numb their supporters and Chandigarh’s SGGS team.

Trials

Around 40 players from different teams appeared in the trials meant to shortlist players for representing Panjab University in the North Zone and All India Inter-University Championship, scheduled to be held at Amity University, Noida, in January. The camp for the same is scheduled to be held at Panjab University campus.