The Fourth Qatar National Hockey League got underway with the second division games last Friday at Rayyan hockey grounds. The Qatar Hockey Academy beat Fowriya Gateway Hockey Club by three goals to two in a thriller. Two goals by Ideal Indian school student Hamood Patel and a penalty conversion by Sheraz Ali, a highly talented youngster from Pakistan, saw the QHA boys win their opening encounter.
The Qatar Hockey Academy team pose before their opening match in the Qatar National Hockey League
Waseem, a former Six a Side Indian International, and Arafat Hussain, who played last season in the Dhaka league, scored for the losers. Centre-half Sameer Khan, nephew of the legendary Aslam Sher Khan, was adjudged the most valuable player for his clean tackles and astute ball distribution.
In the second game Vodafone Doha Hockey Club played clean and simple hockey to drub new comers United Hockey Club Qatar by six goals to one. UHQ, with several senior players from last year’s champion team Wanderers, were expected to do better but the VDHC team with much better physical fitness and coordination did not allow them into the game.
Two goals each by Mark and Thieyry and one each from Luke and Dirk ensured a tennis-likescore for VDHC. Sneddon reduced the margin for UHQ with a penalty corner conversion. Thierry was declared the most valuable player award.
Qapex Rayyan put it across Fowriya Gateway -2 team with a 5-0 drubbing. The match was called off after Buddhika of Gateway was hit on the head with a rising ball and Gateway -2 were left with insufficient players. Rizwan, Kamran, Ajmal, Tajammul and Ram Kumar scored a goal each for Qapex Rayyan which comprises several players from the Pak Green era.
Qapex Rayyan, starring players from Pakistan National champion side Wapda, three time Qatar League Champions Wanderers and VDHC-1 are all seeded into the Premier division, which will commence in April. The top three teams from the second division will join them to fight it out for the top honours.
