Last year’s runners-up Punjab National Bank (PNB), Delhi and former champions Indian Oil also from Delhi, both recorded comprehensive victories to smoothly march into the semi-finals of the Union Bank of India-52nd Bombay Gold Cup All India Hockey Tournament, played at the MHAL-Mahndra Stadium, Churchgate on Sunday.
Indian Oil’s Roshan Minz is set to have a shot at the Union Bank of India goal during their quarter-final match of the Union Bank of India-52nd Bombay Gold Cup Hockey Tournament.
In the first quarter-final match of the day, Indian Oil after leading 4-0 at half-time went on to outplay Union Bank of India, Mumbai 5-1, while later in the evening, PNB produced a strong second half performance, scoring four goals during this period, to inflict a crushing 5-0 defeat on a listless Western Railway, Mumbai.
Indian Oil dished out a pleasing attacking brand of hockey and had the Union Bank defence running around in circles. They opened the scoring in the very third minute with Talwinder Singh scoring from a field effort and five minutes later Bharat Chikara doubled the lead from another field goal.
Later, international full backs Raghunath Vokkaliga (29th minute) and Gujinder Singh (34th minutes) scored a goal each from penalty corners to put Indian Oil in a strong position, leading 4-0 at the break.
On resumption, Indian Oil relaxed their stranglehold and stuck just one goal through Talwinder, who got his second goal of the match. Union Bank managed to get a consolation goal with Suraj Shahi scoring with an angular hit.
The second match was a dull affair as both PNB and Western produced an insipid performance and hardly showed any purpose in their approach. The players were also bereft of ideas and there was not many attempts at goal, especially in the first session.
PNB finally broke the deadlock when Gagandeep Singh Jr. finally found success from their fifth successive penalty corner in the 22nd minute and gave the team a slender 1-0 half-time lead.
However, after the change of ends, Western’s game fell to pieces and they allowed their opponents to dictate terms and to score at regular intervals. Gagandeep Singh Sr. scored the second in the 42nd minute and three minutes later Gurjinder Singh Jr. scored from another penalty corner to increase the lead (3-0). Later Gurjinder Singh tapped in the fourth in the51st minute and Sumit Toppo hammered in the fifth goal in the 60th minute.
Punjab National Bank will clash with BPCL in the first semi-final at 2.00 pm on Tuesday, and later Indian Oil will face off against South Central Railway, Secundrabad in the second semi-finals.
There will be no matches on Monday, December 18.
Results – Quarter-finals: Indian Oil 5 (Talwinder Singh 3rd, 46th, Bharat Chikara 8th, Raghunath Vokkaliga 29th, Gurjinder Singh 34th) beat Union Bank of India 1 (Suraj Shahi 67th).
Punjab National Bank 5 (Gagandeep Singh Jr. 22nd, 45th, Gagandeep Singh Sr 42nd, Gurjinder Singh 51st, Sumit Toppo 60th) beat Western Railway 0.