The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

SPORTS

Soccer mania at threshold
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, June 24
All eyes are now fixed on the outcome of the today’s first semi-final of the 2002 World Cup soccer meet between Germany and host Korea at Seoul. It might go in favour of Koreans with lakhs of its citizens wishing good luck to their heroes.

If Korea moves into the final after beating Germany, it would be the dawn of a new era in football for the Asian countries. This was corroborated by the international qualified soccer coach from India, Mr Purshottam Rana, who is a city resident. Mr Rana said the whole structure of FIFA, controlling part and other organisations would change if Korea made it to the final. He said at present, the refrees and other office-bearers mostly came from European countries due to their dominance in the sport. But once Korea happened to make it, it would augur well for football in this continent.

Astrologers all over the world also predict slight edge of Korea over Germany. They say the match will be worth watching and both teams are likely to be at equal level till the last minute. Korea may win in extra time or tie-breaker as the situations may arise.

On Brazil, even the absence of its star player Ronaldinho in the semifinal might not disturb the rhythm of their energy which they have in immense form. But astrological predictions say finally Brazil will make it to the top with 1-0 or 2-0 lead without any goal against it.

Mr Rana, who had trained German football players during his stay in Germany in 1970s, said in his view if the team-wise analysis is done, Germany was certainly better technically than Korea. He said Germany was the most consistent team in the world so far. He said in his view and in the spectators’ interest, it should be Brazil-Germany final, but since Korea was playing on their home turf, so anything could be possible.

Mr Rana, however, said if Brazil made it to the final with Germany, then it would be their first encounter in the history of World Cup soccer. He said the two had never met in the finals, though Brazil had played 17 finals and Germany 15. Mr Rana said in 1974, he was a live witness to the Germany-Holland final held at Munich when after a great game, Germany overpowered Holland 2-1 to win the title.

Interestingly, Mr Rana said, till today only five countries including Argentina, England, Italy, Uruguay and France apart from Brazil and Germany had won the world cup title. But surprisingly, the two had never met each other in the final. In 1970, Brazil was to face West Germany at Mexico when Gerd Mueller had taken his team to 2-1 in extra time of semi-final with Italy. But finally Italians had bounced back to win 4-3.

City people were heard betting on the result today. Many hotels and restaurants have already announced tomorrow’s schedule of the semi-final match between Germany and Korea. A cross section of people were unanimous in their view that Brazil would enter the final, but on tomorrow’s semi-final, no one seemed to be sure and it was almost 50-50. But going by astrological observations, it might be Korea. So keep your fingers crossed till Tuesday evening.

21-member hockey team selected
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, June 24
As many as 21 hockey trainees have been selected for the new hockey academy being set up on the pattern of the Chandigarh Football Academy. They have been asked to report on June 29 at Sports Hostel, Sector 42, Chandigarh.

According to Mr J.P.S. Sidhu, Joint Director, Sports, UT, the trainees are: Dupinder Pal Singh, Sandeep Singh and Sukhjeet Singh (all from Amritsar), Harjit Singh (Mohali), Harmanpreet Singh (Gurdaspur), Impreet Singh (Amritsar), Jaskaran Singh (Chandigarh), Baljinder Singh (Gurdaspur), Suminder Singh (Amritsar), Ranjot (Gurdaspur), Harinder Singh and Dharamvir Singh (both from Ropar), Sandeep Singh (Chandigarh), Lovedeep Singh and Jaswinder Singh (both from Faridkot), Lakhwinder Singh and Deepak Kumar (both from Ferozepore), Gurpreet Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh ( both from Faridkot), Amanpreet Singh (Amritsar) and Simrandeep Singh (Kapurthala).

Kakria shines

A superb spell of bowling by Punjab Ranji player Amit Kakria, who claimed five wickets for just eight runs, thus enabled the Godrej Cricket Club in beating Ekta XI by 54 runs to move ahead in the VIth Uttranchal trophy league cricket tournament organised by the Garhwal Cricket Club here on Monday.

In the second match, a fine knock of 52 runs by Ravi Verma steered Maa Saraswati XI in beating the Democratic Youth Federation of India by seven wickets. In the last quarter-final tie, Devi Singh’s good spell of bowling with four wickets for 12 runs enabled JJ Sports in beating Gymkhana XI by 72 runs.

Brief scores: Ist tie: Godrej CC : 161 runs for nine (Vikas Khurana 33, Amit Kakria 29, Narinder Walia 20, Vishal Sahni 18,Chandan Puri 2 for 17, Lalit Joshi 2 for 22, Gulzar 2 for 29). Ekta XI: 107 runs all out (Inderjeet 39, Gurmeet 28, Amit Kakria 5 for eight, Satish Chaudhary 2 for 19, Umesh Kaira 2 for 21).

IInd tie; DYFI :111 runs all out in 19.5 overs (Mandeep 39, Chandan 21, Vinod 19, Ravi Pal 3 for 21, Amrit Pal 2 for 27,) Maa Saraswati XI: 112 runs for three in 151 overs (Ravi Verma 52, Amit Verma 3 for 36).

IIIrd tie: JJ Sports; 130 runs for five (Sumit 56, Kulwinder 28, Raj Kumar 2 for 27, Jagdish 2 for 31,). Gymkhana XI: 58 runs all out (Raj Kumar 18, Gulab Rubani 16, Devi Singh 4 for 12, Kulwinder 2 for 17).

The Godrej Cricket club will now take on the JJ Sports Club in the first semi-final to be held on June 29 at 7 am, while the Garhwal Cricket club to vie with Maa Saraswati XI in the second semi-final to be held the same day.

AMBALA

Hockey meet

The Haryana State Senior Hockey Championship will be organised under the aegis of the Haryana Hockey Association from July 9 to 12 at the War Heroes Memorial Stadium, Ambala Cantt. According to a spokesman of the association, a committee has been formed under the guidance of Mr M.S. Malik, DGP, Haryana, who will also be the chief patron of the committee. Besides, Mr Alok Joshi, IG, Ambala range, Mr M.S. Mann, Director, Sports, Mr D.D. Gautam, Deputy Commissioner, and Mr Manoj Yadav, SP, have been included in the committee.

Entries can be sent by June 30 to Mr Harbhajan Pandit, organising secretary of the championship, the spokesman said.