Hockey: India A men's team remains unbeaten, women's team displays fighting spirit in China tour

New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) The India A men’s and women’s hockey teams wrapped up their respective international exposure tours in China on a positive note, showcasing promising performances and gaining valuable experience against competitive local opposition.

The India A men’s team participated in a four-match series against Gansu Club from October 12 to 18 in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, securing convincing victories in all their fixtures.

The men’s side kicked off the series in dominant fashion with a 7-0 victory, courtesy of goals from Varun Kumar and Selvam Karthi, who converted a penalty corner each, while Uttam Singh and Venkatesh Dhananjay Kenche netted field goals. However, Angad Bir Singh stole the spotlight with a hat-trick.

In the second encounter, India A edged past Gansu 2-1, with Selvam Karthi and Aditya Arjun Lalage scoring a goal each.

Continuing their fine form, the visitors secured an 8-0 victory in the third match, with Poovanna Chandura Boby converting a penalty corner. Aditya Arjun Lalage, Maninder Singh, Selvam Karthi and Venkatesh Dhananjay Kenche all scored field goals. Additionally, Captain Sanjay contributed to the scoreboard as he found success from a penalty corner, while Mohammed Raheel Mouseen added a brace to complete a commanding display.

The series finished with another high-scoring match, as India A beat Gansu 8-3 in the final game. Rajkumar Pal, Uttam Singh, and Venkatesh Dhananjay Kenche each scored a field goal, while Amandeep Lakra converted a penalty corner. Aditya Arjun Lalage scored two field goals, and captain Sanjay, who has been consistent with his drag flicks throughout the tour, converted two penalty corners to secure a clean sweep for the visitors.

Aditya Arjun Lalage finished as the top scorer for the India A men’s team, with a total of four goals in as many matches, closely followed by captain Sanjay, Selvam Karthi, Venkatesh Dhananjay Kenche, and Angad Bir Singh, who scored three goals each in the series.

Meanwhile, the India A women’s team played a five-match series against Liaoning from October 13 to 21 at the Liaoning Sports Centre in Dalian. The young squad exhibited strong resolve throughout the tour, finishing with four draws and one defeat.

In their opening match, India A held Liaoning to a 1-1 draw, with Albela Rani Toppo finding the back of the net. The second game saw the team suffer a 1-3 loss, despite a fighting goal from Manisha Chauhan.

The women’s side bounced back with consecutive draws - 1-1 in the third match, where Manisha Chauhan was again on the scoresheet, and 2-2 in the fourth, as Baljeet Kaur and Manisha Chauhan found the back of the net once each.

In the fifth and final contest, both teams played out a thrilling 3-3 draw, with goals from Kajal Sadashiv Atpadkar, Pooja Yadav, and Deepika Soreng ensuring that the India A Women’s Hockey Team finished the series on a positive note.

--IANS

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