UTT 2019 | Goa Challengers beat Puneri Paltan to reach semis
Goa Challengers got back on track with a thumping 11-4 win against Puneri Paltan, who needed to win at least seven points to catch up with Goa and qualify, but that was too big an ask. For the Challengers, A Amalraj was the hero as he turned the tables before Archana Kamath finished off the task.
After their shock 11-4 defeat in the hands of U Mumba, Goa were determined to make amends and Amalraj stood up to the task as he started strongly against by handing a 3-0 drubbing to Commonwealth champion Harmeet Desai.
It was followed by expectant results with World No. 9 Cheng I-Ching beating the 122nd-ranked Ayhika Mukherjee 3-0, before Alvaro Robles lost 2-1 loss to Chaung Ching-Yuan, still keeping Paltan in the tie.
However, that was the only positive for the Paltan in the entire evening for Amalraj turned into an unstoppable force. Alongside Cheng, Amalraj extended Goa’s lead by defeating India-Chinese Taipei pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Chuang Chih-Yuan 2-1. With the tie already won, Kamath played without pressure against higher-ranked Sabine White and beat her 2-1.
The results: Goa Challengers bt Puneri Paltan 11-4 (Cheng I-Ching bt Ayhika Mukherjee 11-8, 11-1, 11-5; Alvaro Robles lost to Chuang Chih-Yuan 9-11. 11-10, 5-11; A. Amalraj & I-Ching bt Chih-Yuan & Ayhika 11-7, 9-11, 11-7; Amalraj bt Harmeet Desai 11-7, 11-7, 11-10; Archana Kamath bt Sabine Winter 8-11, 11-6, 11-9).
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