Mumbai, Dec 3: Two Delhi outfits, Punjab National Bank and Comptroller and Auditors General of India, reached the semi finals of the 51st Bombay Gold Cup Hockey Tournament here today by winning their quarter final games against two Mumbai outfits in contrasting fashion here today.
Last year’s losing finalists, CAG, huffed and puffed their way past Mumbai League champions Indian Navy, wining 4-3 via the tie breaker after the teams were locked 2-2 at full time in the first quarter final of the day.
PNB, on the other hand, produced some top class, skillful and speedy hockey to down another local side, Western Railway, 5-3 in the second quarter final to earn a shot at CAG in the semi finals on Tuesday.
The fast-paced game between PNB and Western looked closely poised when the bankmen were ahead 3-2 at half-time before two brilliant field goals in as many minutes, from the sticks of Damandeep Singh and Gurjinder Singh, virtually doused the railwaymen’s hopes midway through the second half.
Amit Rohidas scored his second goal of the match off Western’s fifth and last penalty corner in the dying moments to reduce the margin of defeat.
Rohidas had given Western a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute that was neutralised by Gagandeep Singh Jr within two minutes via a penalty corner drag-flick.
PNB went 2-1 ahead through a field goal from Shamsher Singh Jr which was cancelled out a minute later by Western’s Manpreet Singh, who also scored from the field.
But PNB edged ahead in the 31st minute through another field goal from Shamsher to take a 3-2 lead at half time that was consolidated later by the excellent strikes from Damandeep and Gurjinder who lay in wait deep inside the ‘D’ to deflect and slap home inch-perfect passes.
Earlier in the first quarter-final, CAG sneaked past Navy via the tie-breaker penalty shoot-out, thanks to some fine goalkeeping by Mrinal Choubey who foiled four one-on-one attempts to emerge the hero.
In regular time, Mohd Naeemuddin and Nitin Thimmaiah scored for CAG while Ved Prakash restored parity twice for Navy to take the match to the tie breaker in which Thimmaiah and Gurpratap Singh scored for the winners while Amit Goswami found the mark for the losers. (PTI)
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