India beat Ireland 2-0 in men's hockey competition at Paris Olympics
Paris, Jul 30: Reigning bronze medallist India beat Ireland 2-0 to consolidate their position in the tough Pool B of the men's hockey competition at the Paris Olympics here on Tuesday.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh (11th, 19th minutes) scored a brace for India, converting a penalty stroke and then a penalty corner to hand his side the crucial win.
India had earlier defeated New Zealand 3-2 in their opener before securing a 1-1 draw against Argentina.
Unlike the last two games, India started on the offensive against Ireland and secured their first penalty corner in the second minute but Harmanpreet failed to beat the first rusher.
But India took the lead in the 11th minute when Harmanpreet converted a penalty stroke.
Gurjant Singh made a fine interception in the midfield and then linked up with Mandeep Singh to enter the circle where the Irish defence committed a foul, resulting in the stroke.
India secured back-to-back penalty corners in the 19th minute, and Harmanpreet was on target with the second chance.
India will next play reigning Olympic champions Belgium on Thursday before finishing their pool engagements against the mighty Australia on Friday.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
