In the inaugural matches of the 3rd MJ Cup Invitational Hockey Tournament (Men and Women) 2023, PCMC Hockey Academy showcased resilience with a remarkable comeback, Central Railway Pune dominated with a 10-0 win, and Krida Prabodhini secured a convincing 10-1 victory. The tournament, hosted at the Maj. Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium in Pune, is organized by Excellency Hockey Academy in collaboration with the Dhanraj Pillay Foundation under the aegis of Hockey Maharashtra.
In an intense Pool-A encounter, PCMC Hockey Academy overcame an early deficit to defeat Excellency Hockey Academy 3-1. Sourabh Patil (35th), Jay Kale (38th), and Abhishek Mane (57th) sealed the comeback win for PCMC, countering Navjyot Singh’s early penalty corner goal for Excellency.
Pool-B witnessed a goal-scoring spectacle as Central Railway Pune outplayed a seven-man Kids XI with a comprehensive 10-0 victory. Reuben Kedari secured a hat-trick, complemented by goals from Bhushan Dhere, Avadudh Solankar, Vishal Pillay, and Vinod Nimbhore.
Krida Prabodhini dominated Pool-C with a commanding 10-1 triumph against Friends Union. Prajwal Moharkar’s four-goal heroics, supported by contributions from Rahul Shinde, Dhairyashil Jadhav, Yogesh Borkar, Rohan Patil, and Sachin Rajgade, showcased Krida Prabodhini’s offensive gameplay. Friends Union’s Rehan Shaikh managed to pull one goal back.
Amidst the excitement, discussions have emerged regarding the need for stricter regulations to prevent match forfeits, ensuring a fair competition environment.
