Air India rout Punjab Police

Indian Hockey Federation Juniors, trailing 0-1 and up 2-1 later, were held to a 2-2 draw by Punjab Sind Bank, while Air India began their campaign with an impressive 4-2 victory over Punjab Police in the 79th MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament in Madras on Saturday.

The IHF juniors, with four points from two matches, have virtually qualified for the quarter-finals from Pool 'A'.

The Air India-Punjab Police contest started on even keel but the Air India attack seemed to hold the edge once Gavin Ferreira put them ahead, scoring from the top of the circle in the 13th minute off a Cornelius D'Costa pass.

But Punjab Police equalised in the 20th minute through Sarabjit Singh, off a defensive lapse in a goalmouth melee (1-1).

The airmen snatched a 2-1 lead in the 27th minute off another opportunistic goal by Edward Aranha, who was put in possession by Davinder Kumar.

Into the second session, Air India fortified their defence with three men and scored again through Aranha in the 42nd minute, off a cross by Kishore Kumar. Then, in a high drama, Jaskaran Singh scored for the Punjab cops to make it 2-3 before Kishore Kumar made sure of Air India's victory (4-2) minutes later.

Air India will play Karnataka XI on Sunday to decide the quarter-finalist from pool 'B'.

In the other match, the bankmen snatched the lead from a counter-attack in the 41st minute through Sandeep Singh Ghuman, but the IHF juniors equalised in the 45th minute through a penalty-stroke, which Arjun Halappa converted easily.

The IHF Juniors were then cock a hoop as Tejbir Singh converted a penalty-corner on second attempt off a defensive lapse.

But Punjab Sind Bank levelled the score when Parminder SIngh converted a penalty-corner in the 53rd minute.