KARACHI, Oct 3: India Junior Blues (IJB) defeated Pakistan’s Youngster Club of Lahore (YCL) 4-3 in an opening match of Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament on Sunday night at Shivaji Stadium, New Delhi.

According to details made available here, YCL trailed 3-0 at the breather.

Having services of three Olympians Mudassar Ali, M Shabbir and Tariq Aziz, YCL is one of the two foreign teams taking part in the event got underway at Indian Capital, the final of which would be played on Oct 8.

Two Indian senior teams and two Indian junior teams along with a team each from Pakistan and Malaysia are taking part in the Indian event.

Dushar Khandar gave an early lead to IJB when he connected a brilliant corner in the ninth minute while Chugrach Singh increased made it 2-0 converting a 25th minute penalty corner on a superb drag flick.

Hari Prasad made it 3-0 just few moments before the first half for Indian junior team in a field goal.

YCL with three goals deficit after the first half adopted aggressive strategy and it was Pakistan’s national team vice-captain, Mudassar Ali Khan who managed to reduce lead when he scored goal in 48th minute on right move. Two minutes Sardar Singh made sure of victory for IJB.

Looking for a comeback the visitors managed to score twice two through Tariq Aziz and Khalid Mehmood but it proved futile as the home team emerged winners.—PPI