Indian Airlines and Punjab and Sind Bank made it to the semi-finals in the All India Maharaja Ranjit Singh hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium in Delhi on Friday.
Brojen Singh scored with a minute to go to get Indian Airlines through while Punjab and Sind Bank survived a late resurgence by Pakistan International Airlines to win 4-3.
Indian Airlines defeated South Central Railway 3-2 in the first match in Pool-II. Gurpreet Singh converted a penalty-corner in the 15th minute to put Indian Airlines ahead. Mayur Subbiah levelled the score through a penalty-corner of his own three minutes later.
Brojen Singh scored in the 22nd minute for Indian Airlines but parity was restored by Johnson Ekka in the 57th minute. But Brojen scored in the 69th minute to seal the victory.
Yasir Alam gave PIA the lead in the second match of the day in the 10th minute but Gurvinder Singh Chandi equalised in the 38th. Then the bankmen went on a rampage scoring three goals in seven minutes.
Baljit Singh put them ahead in the 44th followed by a penalty-stroke conversion by Ajit Pal Singh four minutes later. Parminder Singh made it 4-1 in the 51st minute.
M Farooq put life in the match when he got PIA's second goal in the 57th minute. Then followed a penalty-stroke, converted by Amir Saleem with three minutes to go.
But they failed to get the equaliser and crashed out.
On Saturday, the bankmen face Bharat Petroleum in the first semi-final followed by Indian Airlines playing Indian Oil [Get Quote] in the second.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
|