IndianOil, Air-India set up title clash
Mumbai   22-Sep-2008
<B>Score comprehensive victories over Punjab National Bank and Indian Navy respectively</B> IndianOil and Air-India registered comfortable wins, to set up a mouth-watering title clash, in the 8th AH India Gum Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup Hockey Tournament at the MHA-Mahindra Stadium on Sunday. IndianOil will get an opportunity to avenge their recent Murugappa Gold Cup defeat against Air-India as they defeated Punjab National Bank in semis. IndianOil rallied to an exciting 3-1 win after trailing by a fifth minute goal. Air-India enjoyed a smoother passage into Monday's final following a 5-0 rout of Indian Navy in the other semi-final. International Shivendra Singh scored a brace, while Sandeep Singh, Arjun Halappa and Dhanraj Pillay added to Air-India's tally. PNB surprised the favourites and sounded an early warning with a first minute raid as Yudhveer Singh set up Sukhpal and Gurvinder, who both failed to connect despite being in a perfect ncar-the-post position. But the bankmen quickly made amends four minutes later as Damandeep put them ahead with a brilliant strike following an impressive move on the left to set the stage for an exciting encounter ahead. Murugappa runners-up IndianOil came back into the match with the equaliser in the 15th minute when Bharat Chinkara made the most of a defensive lapse. PNB defender Sandeep Sethi fumbled at the top of the circle and failed to clear the ball as Chinkara capitalised on the blemish and fired home with a rasping reverse hit that went through goalkeeper Jasbir Singh's pads. IndianOil could have gone ahead soon after but former international Prabhjot Singh fumbled with only the goalkeeper to beat, after his first attempt was blocked. PNB had the opportunity to take the lead soon but a trio of IndianOil defenders thwarted Damandeep’s solo effort with nobody to support the lone bank forward. With PNB battling hard to stay in the match, former international Deepak Thakur brought timely relief in the IndianOil camp with a neat strike following a pass from the right in the 24th minute. Roshan Minz made it more comfortable for IndianOil with a powerful hit from the top of the circle that left goalkeeper Jasbir Singh stranded and found the mark two minutes later for a 3-1 cushion at half time. IndianOil seemed content to hold on to the lead as they kept the PNB forwards in check during the barren second half.