Punjab’s big match temperament will come up against PSPB’s resolve in the final of the 8th men’s National hockey championships after the two won their respective semifinals here on Saturday.
PSPB, participating in its maiden national championship since it was revived by Hockey India in 2011, managed to edge past former champion Air India 3-2. With seven national campers in the side and others part of the Indian team till recently, PSPB was always favourite but Air India’s ageing warhorses proved they still had a trick or two in them.
With support from inexperienced newcomers, Air India kept PSPB at bay in the initial period and even got the opener against the run of play in the 10th minute, through Arjun Sharma’s opportunistic goal.
But Tushar Khandker, till recently coaching the Indian team, flicked his stick backwards to sound the board four minutes later to level the scores. Keeping possession and relying on pace, PSPB managed to make constant inroads into Air India’s circle but was unable to get the final touch in or earn penalty corners.
While Air India custodian Adrian D’Souza let in two easy goals, he was also responsible for saving at least three more to keep the margin respectable.
Air India, at the other end, struggled with its youngsters faltering and losing control too often. Arjun finally got his second in the final minute and, seconds later, was pushed inside the five metre circle as Air India sought a PC but was denied.
Earlier, Punjab’s big names stepped up when it mattered most with a comprehensive 3-1 win against defending champion Railways, ending the latter’s hegemony in the competition.
Railways, which came in boasting of a hat-trick of titles, was outplayed in every department as Punjab captain Gurbaj Singh played the perfect playmaker. Railways, having lost several of its long-time players to other organisations in the last one year, struggled for both possession and position.
For Punjab, which last won the title in 2012, this would be the fifth final in eight editions and Gurbaj would be desperate to break the jinx. PSPB, on the other hand, would want to go all the way in its very first outing.
Air India, a two-time champion in 2013 and 2014, would now be keen to avenge its semifinals defeat in 2015 to Railways that, in a way, saw the baton shifting from one well-oiled institutional team to another.
The Airmen finished third back then and would be hoping to finish on the podium yet again for a first medal three years.
The results (semifinals): Punjab 3 (Dharamvir Singh 2, Sarvanjit Singh) bt Railways 1 (Malak Singh); PSPB 3 (Tushar Khandker 2, Affan Yousuf) bt Air India 2 (Arjun Sharma 2).
