Alden D'Souza struck twice as three time champion Mumbai overcame Haryana 3-2 to regain the 63rd Rangaswamy Cup senior National Men's Hockey Championship at the floodlit Aishbagh Astroturf Stadium here on Sunday.
Following an evenly balanced first quarter, Mumbai shot into the lead after a couple of raids with Alden D'Souza's blinder of a reverse hit from the edge of the circle on the left pierced through a stunned Haryana defence in the 22nd minute.
Seven minutes after the lemon break, Mumbai earned its second penalty corner and the ever reliable Gursevak found the net to give his side a comfortable cushion. But a gallant Haryana bounced back with Munish Rana reducing the margin in a goalmouth melee in the 44th minute.
Mumbai enhanced its lead when Alden D'Souza fired his second goal after brilliantly trapping Vikram Yadav's through and beating goalkeeper Ankit Gulia. Down 1-3, Haryana refused to give up and defender Hansraj pushed home with a vengeance in the 56th minute off its second penalty corner and put Mumbai under immense pressure until it heaved a sigh of relief on hearing the hooter.
