Pune: A well-drilled and disciplined Air India routed defending champions Punjab 6-2 in the final of the third Hockey India senior men’s national championship here on Monday.
Two goals apiece by former international Sameer Dad (2nd, 39th) and Affan Yusuf (3rd, 42nd) featured Air India’s victory besides timely strikes by Joga Singh (53rd) and Somanna Pradhan (58th) while Punjab veteran Deepak Thakur played a lone hand to score twice (54th, 68th) despite being heavily marked.
Earlier, Karnataka, thanks to goals by Poonacha MG (33rd), Nikkin Thimmaiah (46th) and Uthappa SK (70th) overcame Haryana 3-2 to finish third.
For the vanquished, Damandeep Singh (28th) and Yudhveer (52nd) scored. (IANS)