Uttarakhand qualify for Santosh Trophy final round with 1-0 win over Chandigarh

Uttarakhand today defeated Chandigarh by a solitary goal to earn a ticket into the final round of the Senior National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy to be played in Siliguri later this month.

Saurabh Rawat scored the all-important goal in the 84th minute to ensure Uttarakhand top Group A of the North Zone Qualifiers at the Akshardham Games Village Ground.

Courtesy the victory, Uttarakhand finished on seven points and Haryana on five points. Hosts Delhi ended on four points while Chandigarh failed to open their account.

Rawat followed up a long-ball from Sher Singh Bora and calmly put it past Chandigarh goalkeeper Mohit Raj Singh.

In another Group A qualifying round match played at Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi and Haryana quashed each other's hopes of a final round berth by playing out a 1-1 draw from which neither could profit.

Abhishek Rawat put Delhi in front in the 28th minute but Haryana central midfielder Vikram levelled the scores by converting from the spot four minutes after the hour mark.