Playing with just ten players, Pune Police Public School still managed to secure a 1-0 victory over Loyola High School in the league match of the under-15 category during the Father Schoch Memorial Hockey tournament at Major Dhyanchand Hockey Poligras Stadium, Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday.
After 20 minutes, a solitary goal from Raj Pasge in the 23rd minute helped Pune Police win the game.
A dilemma faced Pune Police Public School before they entered into the competition, as they had only 10 hockey players who were in the under-15 age category in their school. But they still decided to go ahead and participate in the tournament. “We played with 10 players because all the other hockey players were above the age of 15. We don’t have a hockey ground and mostly football is played in our school. Since the last two years, we have been focusing on hockey,” said Tejas Karle, coach, Pune Police Public School.
Defenders were the star for both the teams in the first half as none of the teams managed to find the net.
Loyola struggled with passing on most of the occasions while Pune Police Public School got the ball inside the D-zone (the semicircular area around the goal. In order to score a goal, an attacker must shoot from within this area, or the ball must come off a defender’s stick within this area), but failed to score a goal.
{{/usCountry}}Loyola struggled with passing on most of the occasions while Pune Police Public School got the ball inside the D-zone (the semicircular area around the goal. In order to score a goal, an attacker must shoot from within this area, or the ball must come off a defender’s stick within this area), but failed to score a goal.
{{/usCountry}}After the half time, Pune Police boys got an opening with Yash Karle controlling the ball from the centre line. Karle beat three defenders of Loyola before giving a pass to Raj Pasge who was standing on the left side of the D-zone.
Pasge made no mistake and gave his team a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. After that, Loyola had a couple of chances to equalise, but they failed to convert it into a goal.
“Defenders were rock solid today, they did not allow Loyola’s attackers any opportunities to score. They played a crucial role in today’s victory,” added Karle.