India thrash Kenya, lift Intercontinental Cup
Mumbai, June 10: Skipper Sunil Chhetri continued his superb form, striking a brace as India thrashed Kenya 2-0 to clinch the Intercontinental Cup at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Sunday.
Chhetri, who scored in the eighth and 29th minutes to hand India a convincing victory, also equalled Argentina's Lionel Messi's tally of 64 international goals, making him the joint-second active international goalscorer behind Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (81 goals).
With the stadium jam-packed with Indian fans, the hosts started on an aggressive note as they penetrated the Kenyan defense twice in the first minute.
The hosts took an early lead when a free kick from Anirudh Thapa was flicked perfectly by skipper Sunil Chhetri into the net.
After conceding the goal, Kenya regrouped and started to counter-attack. Jockins Atudo, who scored twice in the last match, was not too effective on Sunday thanks to some brilliant marking by the Indian defenders.
Unpetrubed by the Kenyan pressing, India continued playing offensively and as a result Chhetri scored with a superb finish just before the half hour mark to double India's lead.
Defender Anas Edathodika lofted a long ball and Chhetri beat the offside trap to chest-trap the ball before slamming an accurate left-footer low into the far corner.
The desperate Kenyans kept on creating attacks at regular intervals but were let tried down by poor finishing.
Bernard Oginga, who enjoyed a lot of ball possession, struggled to beat the Indian defenders and also received a yellow card for his efforts.
Kenya started the second half on an attacking note as Otieno Ochieng almost netted the first goal for Kenya with a viciously curling long ranger. But Indian goalkepper Gurpreet Sandhu pulled off an excellent diving save to keep out the brilliant effort.
In the 60th minute, Kenya was unfortunate to miss another chance as another long range effort from Ochieng failed to beat Gurpreet, who used both his fists to punch the ball out.
The visitors were once again was on the verge of opening their account in the 71st minute but Dennis Odhiambo failed to get past Sandhu.
There was no stopping for Sandhu tonight as the keeper saved yet again six-minutes later off Ochieng's strike.
The final few minutes saw India desperately defend their citadel and making a string of substitutions.
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Over 26,000 aspirants participate in army recruitment rally in J&K’s Poonch
Poonch/Jammu (PTI): Over 26,000 young aspirants participated in a recruitment rally conducted by the army after a gap of five years in Jammu and Kashmir’s border district of Poonch, officials said on Sunday.
The recruitment rally commenced at Advance Landing Ground in Surankote on November 8 to fill 307 vacancies for soldier general duty and 45 vacancies for clerks and tradesmen in the Territorial Army, they said.
The rally was open to the candidates from 31 Tehsils of Jammu division, including Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi and Jammu districts, for soldier general duty while the candidates from entire Jammu and Kashmir were eligible to apply for clerks and tradesmen positions.
“Over 26,000 enthusiastic candidates across the region took part in the selection process, showcasing their physical and mental readiness to serve the nation during the 10-day rally,” said an official of the army recruitment office, expressing satisfaction over the response of the youth.
He said the recruitment drive was organized with the objective of providing employment opportunities and encouraging the youth to join the armed forces.
The aspirants underwent various physical tests, including a 1.6 km run, chin-ups and other endurance exercises, followed by medical examinations and documentation checks, the official said.
"The response from the local youth has been tremendous. It is heartening to see such enthusiasm and passion to join the Indian Army. We are committed to providing a fair and transparent selection process," an officer of the Territorial Army said.
He said around 4000 candidates have cleared the ground test and will participate in the medical examination.
The locals lauded the army for organizing the recruitment drive in the border district.
“This is a significant step towards addressing unemployment in the border areas and instilling a sense of pride and patriotism among the youth,” said Syed Imtiaz Kazmi, a prominent citizen of Surankote.
The officials said the event was conducted with strict adherence to safety protocols, ensuring that the large gathering was managed smoothly.
The recruitment process is expected to continue for the next three days, they said, adding this recruitment rally marks yet another milestone in the Indian Army's ongoing efforts to strengthen its bond with people, providing new opportunities for the youth in the region that has historically faced challenges related to employment and development.
Many young aspirants expressed their hopes of securing a place in the prestigious armed forces, with dreams of serving the nation and supporting their families.
Mohd Asad, a local resident of Poonch, said that he joined the rally for the first time. “I am ready to serve the nation by joining the army,” he added.
Another aspirant Mohd Iqbal from Haveli area of Poonch thanked the army for providing them an opportunity to serve the nation.
