Raipur, October 2026: In a rain-affected match against Rajdhani Royals, Chingleansana Singh’s Bailadila Bulls registered their first victory in the Chhattisgarh Hockey League with a 1-0 win on Tuesday night. The victory has kept the Bulls in contention for a semi-final berth, while the Royals have been eliminated from the tournament without recording a single win.
The match, which began nearly an hour late because of rain, saw the Bulls, who were searching for their first league victory, take the lead without much delay. As soon as an opportunity opened up inside the circle, Rahul Yadav struck the ball powerfully to give his team an early advantage.
Despite several opportunities being created during the match, this remained the only goal in the 60 minutes of play.
With the wet playing surface making it difficult for the Royals to enter the Bulls’ half, the Bulls came close to scoring a second goal. Gopal Paikra directed the ball towards the goalpost, but the umpire disallowed the goal.
Despite the difficult conditions, players from both teams gave their best. Passes were not reaching their intended destinations, and the speed of shots had also reduced considerably.
Bulls player Jaskaran earned a few penalty corners, but on both occasions, the injection was not executed properly, preventing the team from converting the opportunities into goals. At the end of the first half, the Bulls maintained their 1-0 lead.
Players continued to battle the rain during the third and fourth quarters. Water accumulated inside the circle, preventing the forward lines from executing their preferred strategies.
Overall, the league campaign proved disappointing for the Royals. Their inability to score from even a single penalty corner was a major reason for their defeat. Despite the loss, Himanshu was named Player of the Match, while Rahul Yadav received the Striker of the Match award.
Nyaydhani Knights and Mainpat Titans Play Out 1-1 Draw
In the first low-scoring encounter of the day, Nyaydhani Knights and Mainpat Titans played out a 1-1 draw. Ketan opened the scoring for the Knights in the second quarter, while Mohit Nayak brought the Titans back into the contest in the fourth quarter.
The result means that the Titans will have to wait a little longer to secure their place in the semi-finals of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League.
Both teams launched a few attacks in the opening quarter, but neither could convert their chances into goals. The Knights, who have already secured a semi-final berth, broke the deadlock towards the end of the second quarter.
Ketan scored his sixth goal of the tournament by sending the ball past the goalkeeper off a rebound. The Knights consequently went into half-time with a 1-0 lead.
The third quarter was relatively quiet, with the Knights’ solid defence making it extremely difficult for the opposition’s forward line to score. The Knights also ensured that the ball did not touch any player’s foot inside the circle, helping them preserve their 1-0 advantage.
However, Mainpat needed a decisive response at a crucial stage of the match. The Titans committed more players to attack, and the move paid off when Mohit Nayak scored the equaliser.
Ketan was named Striker of the Match, while Mohit Nayak received the Player of the Match award.
Mainpat Titans will have another opportunity to qualify for the semi-finals when they face Sanskardhani Strikers on October 29.
