It wasn’t the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) team that one has come to know. It’s defence wasn’t compact, the attack was fragmented.
Overall, it was not the champion side that one has come to associate it with. Possessing a multitude of International players (senior & junior) in its ranks, IOC fell clearly short of its exalted standards.
Nevertheless, it managed to eke out a 1-1 draw with Indian Navy in a Pool B match of the MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup 92nd All-India hockey tournament here on Tuesday.
Later, it turned out to be a goal-fest in an another Pool B contest with 11 goals being scored. Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) edged out Hockey Bengaluru (HBN) 6-5. Ashish Kumar Sharma was the star for PSB scoring four goals.
Credit to Navy for competing with IOC on equal terms. Be it marking the star IOC frontline or making inroads into the rival camp.
Jugraj Singh opened the account for Navy with a drag flick that hit the top of the roof in the first half. The Navy's ‘keeper Reydan Tidu did a good job with a couple of neat saves. IOC must consider itself a tad lucky to have equaliser scored against it through a contentious penalty stroke. An “intentional” offence by a Navy defender inside the circle on the right saw umpire Amit Saini show the spot. Gurjinder Singh converted it.
For PSB, it was an important tie for it to remain in the hunt. On the other hand, with two losses, HBN was looking, to go all out and, perhaps, prove a point.
With less than 27 minutes remaining for the hooter, eight goals (4-4) had already been scored, HBN fighting back every time it was down by a goal.
For the first time in the match, it went ahead through Kusha Gowda. PSB sealed the contest through two goals by Ashish: one a wonderful flick from the right and the other a clean hit that hit the roof of the net.
It looks intriguing as to which two teams will qualify from Pool B for the semifinals.
While IOC and PSB has seven points each from three matches, Navy too has seven from its quota of four. The final Pool match between PSB and IOC on September 13 (Thursday) will give a clearer picture.
Chennai Hockey Association is clearly out of the last four with one point from three matches.
The results: Pool B: IOC 1 (Gurjinder Singh 60) drew with Navy 1 (Jugraj Singh 19).
PSB 6 (Ashish Kumar Sharma 12, 32, 46 & 57, Parvinder Singh 16, Onkar Singh 38) bt HBN 5 (Pratap Lakra 13 & 43, M.B. Cariappa 22, P. L. Thimanna 35, Kusha Gowda 44).
