GUWAHATI: Services won the men's hockey gold medal by upsetting defending champion Punjab by the odd goal in three in the final at the Maulana Md. Tayebulla Stadium here on Sunday.

In a mediocre contest, Punjab led by a goal at halftime before Services struck to run out a deserving winner. If the holder played a tactical game to dominate the first half, the fitness of the Armymen came handy in the second half.

The second half was marred by Punjab walking out protesting umpire Lok Bahadur's decision to award Services's equaliser. After a 12-minute stoppage, the game resumed following the tournament committee members' intervention.

Thereafter, the Punjab players repeatedly questioned the umpires' decision and failed to concentrate on the game and conceded the match-winner with five minutes to go for the hooter.

Fitness not a forte

Fitness was not the defending champion's forte. It had to rely on its three speedy forwards, Amit Singh, Mandeep and Gagandeep, to press for the goals. Holding back at least five players within its own half to bolster the defence, Punjab moved forward in quick sorties. Punjab took the lead in the 19th minute due to poor defending. Off a hit-in from left, Kuljeet Singh's shot went through the rival defenders and an unmarked Daler Singh diverted the ball into the net. Having taken the lead, Punjab went into a defensive shell within its own half to go into the break with the solitary goal lead.

Ten minutes inside the second half, Services earned the match's first of the two penalty corners and equalised through Kh. Renel Singh. Following a melee, Renel managed to push the ball home.

The moment umpire Bahadur signalled goal, the Punjab players surrounded the match official and tried to force him to reverse the decision. When they failed, the team walked out.

On resumption, Punjab was forced to go into attack leaving huge gaps for the speedy Services players to exploit. Services's main weapon, Anil Ekka on the left was totally off-colour leaving only Dhananjay Mahadik and Eliazer Lakra to operate in tandem. Suresh Kumar joined in the attack against a fast tiring Punjab team and the left wing came alive with the three repeatedly breaking through. The goal materialised in the 65th minute when Suresh Kumar's forward pass to Sanwar Ali was squared into the striking circle and Lakra made no mistake.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail