Stage set for quarters

The eight pool winners have been identified at the end of the league phase of the 2nd Hockey India Senior National Hockey Champ­ionships. The clashes will offer some keen contests as evenly matched teams will battle it out. In matches on Saturday, Karnataka remained unbeaten in Pool B with a 5-1 win over Andhra Pradesh while Jhar­k­hand, with Ajitesh Roy scoring 4 goals, outplayed debutants Sashastra Seema Bal 9-1 for an all-win record in Pool D.

Runners-up Karnataka st­arted promisingly when skipper and drag-flicker V R Ragh­unath converted a 11th minute penalty corner. In the 21st mi­nute, Vikram Kanth drove home a Raghunath pass to put the hosts 2-0 up.

However, Andhra displayed lot of pluck and hit back in the 23rd when Sampath Kumar converted a penalty stroke that was awarded after Avinash Ch­i­ndrapu’s goal-bound atte­mpt struck defender Darshan Dayavai on the foot.

Karnataka attacked on res­umption and scored three field goals in quick succession thro­ugh M K Mudappa, Nitin Tha­mmaiah and SK Uthappa.

Jharkhand who needed just a draw to progress in the competition, left nothing to chance as India forward Ajitesh Roy led the scoring with four goals while penalty corner specialist Diwakar Ram converted two while Roshan Minz, Anil Xaxa and Jhon Minz scored one ea­ch to complee the tally.