Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Crozan Society, Bastora clinched the 9th Pioneer Trophy all-Goa indoor hockey tournament after getting the better of Young Strikers, Mapusa 2–0, held recently.
The tournament was organised in the memory of Fr Bento Martins, the founder of Pilar Society, by Hockey Heritage Group Goa in association with Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim.
In a fast paced match held on Sunday, Crozan Society took the lead through young Sahil Chari’s deft stickwork in the first half. Crozan then briefly fell back in defence, and were besieged by a string of attacks from Hari Sherpa, Rajat Chari and Sameer Yalgar who combined well to spearhead the offense for Young Strikers. Issub Sayed and Abbusaliya Havaldar stood firm in the Crozan, and the spirited fight back by Young Strikers was quelled, with both teams giving it their all. Against the run of play, Crozan Society doubled their lead and sealed the match and the trophy through Brendan Noronha’s effort from just inside the scoring area.
The tournament saw 16 teams from all over Goa vying for the title.
Asif Hubli of Young Strikers was awarded the best player-of-the-tournament, while Sahil Chari of Crozan won the most promising player award.
The chief guest was Fr Thomas Gonsalves, SFX Mission In Charge at Valpoi and gave away the prizes in the presence of of Fr Dominic Alvares of Pilar Society, and hockey coaches Victor Albuquerque, Eliter Fernandes and Sam Braganza.
