Oil majors Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Indian Oil in contrasting fashion won their respective semi-final matches and to setup a clash in the final of the Gold Cup All India Hockey Tournament, on Tuesday.
BPCL produced another sterling performance to send last year’s runners-up Punjab National Bank (PNB) crashing to a 5-2 defeat in the first semi-final.
Indian Oil skipper Raghunath Vokkaliga scored a late decisive winner converting from a penalty corner to clinch a close 4-3 win against defending champions South Central Railway in the second semi-final. Raghunath’s teammate Affan Yusuf netted the first three goals for Indian Oil. Md. Amir Khan the spearhead in the BPCL attack hogged the limelight by also recording a fine hat-trick, which helped the oilmen gain the lead.
The PNB side were under tremendous pressure and trailing 0-3 managed to cut the gap with full backs Gagandeep Singh Jr. converting from a penalty corner in the 24th minute.
But after the break BPCL’s seasoned player and Olympian Tushar Khandkar increased the lead with a clinical strike in the 47th minute before Varun Kumar found success from a penalty corner for the fifth goal in the 53rd minute. PNB fighting a losing battle scored their second goal through Navin in the 62nd minute. The final will take place on Wednesday.