Gooncha 57th Senior Nehru Hockey: South Central Railway, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy Post Wins

The Gooncha 57th Senior Nehru Hockey Tournament witnessed exciting tussles on day two of the competition with South Central Railway getting the better of Hockey Maharashtra Mumbai XI 3-2. It was a match where South Central Railway twice went behind but fought back to bring the game on level terms. Mumbai XI boasting of the famed duo of Walmiki brothers – Yuvraj and Devender (Yuvraj in fact, scored the second goal)- did everything to take the contest away from the railmen but former international goal-stopper Sushant Tirkey had a dream day in office, pulling off saves one after another, including a penalty stroke to deny Mumbai XI from scoring even as South Central Railway produced the match-winner in the closing stages of the third quarter via their skipper MG Poonacha.

South Central Railway now faces Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in the Pool A knockout final. Indian Air Force, fresh from their creditable semifinal finish in the 31st Lal Bahadur Shastri Hockey Tournament in New Delhi, thumped hosts Telangana XI 6-1 and will now clash with Indian Navy in the Pool B knockout final – the Navymen put it across Delhi XI 2-1 in a knockout tie.

The winners of the two knockout finals will join six other teams such as defending champions Punjab National Bank, Indian Oil, Punjab & Sind Bank, Indian Railways, Army XI and CAG XI in the quarterfinal league stage. Top 2 teams from each pool will feature in the semifinals.