India rout Uzbekistan 16-0 in Asian Games men's hockey goalfest
Hangzhou (PTI): Lalit Upadhyay, Varun Kumar and Mandeep Singh slammed a hat-trick each as India started their men's hockey campaign at the Asian Games with a 16-0 rout of lowly-ranked Uzbekistan here on Sunday.
Ranked third in the world, India began the match as clear favourites against the world No. 66 Uzbeks and expectedly dominated the proceedings from start to finish in the Pool A match.
Lalit (7th, 24th, 37th, 53rd) and Varun (12th, 36th, 50th, 52nd) fired in four goals each, while Mandeep (18th, 27th, 28th minutes) found the net thrice.
Abhishek (17th), Amit Rohidas (38th), Sukhjeet (42nd), Shamsher Singh (43rd) and Sanjay (57th) were the other goal scorers as India toyed with the Uzbek defence all through the match.
India skipper Harmanpreet Singh did not play the match as he was rested after donning the responsibility of being the joint flag-bearer along with Olympic medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain during the opening ceremony of the Asian Games on Saturday.
It was a complete domination from the Indians who took seven minutes to break the deadlock, but once they did, it was complete mayhem for Uzbekistan.
It was raining penalty corners for India as they secured as many as 14 in the entire 60 minutes but converted just five, which should be a cause for concern for chief coach Craig Fulton.
But what is heartening is the display of the forward-line as it combined well with the midfield to pump in 10 goals, while the other came from a penalty stroke in the 36th minute.
The Indians got their first chance in the fifth minute but Abhishek's tap from close range was saved by Uzbek goalkeeper Davlat Tolibbaev.
Minutes later Sukhjeet earned India's first penalty corner but Sanjay's flick was kept away by Tolibbaev.
But India broke the deadlock seconds later when Lalit scored from a rebound after Tolibbaev had made a double save.
Varun doubled India's lead in the 12th minute by converting a penalty corner with a powerful low flick to the left of the Uzbek goalkeeper.
Just at the start of the second quarter, India secured another penalty corner but once again Tolibbaev came to his side's rescue to deny Sanjay.
Besides scoring, Mandeep was the live-wire upfront setting up goals for his teammates with his brilliant dribbling skills.
India scored their third goal in the 17th minute through Abhishek, who spun brilliantly to outwit his marker and tap past Tolibbaev after being set up by Mandeep's terrific work from the left flank.
Minutes from half-time, Mandeep joined the party, scoring two goals in a span of a minute.
It was raining penalty corners for India, who earned two more in a span of three minutes but wasted both as the reigning Olympic bronze medallists led 7-0 at the half-way break.
The trend continued after the change of ends as both the Indian goalkeepers -- PR Sreejesh and Krishan Bahadur Pathak --, who took turns to defend the goal in the four quarters, remained mere spectators with the action completely going on at the other side of the pitch.
The Indians looked more threatening in the last two quarters as they pumped in nine more goals -- four came from penalty corners, one from the spot and the remaining four from field play as Fulton's boys completed a resounding victory.
India will play Singapore in their next pool match on Tuesday.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
_vb_77.jpeg)
_vb_00.jpeg)
