Friday, May 17, 2002
Friday, May 17, 2002 |
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Hockey
By Our Special Correspondent
Needing at least one point from the concluding pool A quarterfinal league game against the Bombay Gold Cup champion, the cops overcame a first-half deficit to score the equaliser through Gurmeet Singh off the only penalty corner forced in the 41st minute. Both teams played out the remaining minutes at a leisurely pace. Western Railway, the other side in contention for a last four berth from the pool, looked on helplessly as its chances receded with every minute ticking away in the second game. The Mumbai team had earlier routed Mumbai Customs 5-0, but qualification hinged on Punjab Police losing. It did not happen, resulting in one of the most attacking teams of the tournament shunted out. The 1-1 draw suited both AI and Punjab Police, the former topping the pool and meeting Oil & Natural Gas Commission in the penultimate clash, while the new-look cops take on an Indian Airlines team short on experience. Air-India, having already confirmed a semifinal berth before stepping on to the field, experimented with new faces Birendra Lakra and Jeevan Singh against the policemen, but it was experienced Anil Aldrin's enterprise which got it the breakthrough. The international, playing with a vengeance in the Aga Khan tournament, crossed the centreline chasing a Punjab Police attacker, pushed forward after Tushar Khandekar won the ball in a crushing tackle. Seeing himself in position to help out the attack, Aldrin moved into space for the ball and then showed his versatility with a timely, wristy diagonal pass to the left for Khandekar to sweep home. This 19th minute setback spurred Punjab Police into action, since a defeat was unthinkable. With AI giving nothing away in defence and tackling hard in the midfield, an equaliser looked difficult till the 41st minute penalty corner award. Jaskaran Singh's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Edgar Mascarenhas, but Gurmeet slotted home the rebound. Both sides played out the rest of the match, focussing on avoiding injuries and conserving energy for the respective do-or-die semifinals on Friday. Western's five-goal blitz against Mumbai Customs began with a 11th field goal by Vijay Alphonso. Mukhtiar Singh increased the margin in the 38th, Gursevak Singh got a brace (40th minute penalty stroke and 56th minute penalty corner) and Prem Kumar rounded off the tally with a 63rd minute field goal. Customs was without key goalkeeper Anson Thomas, now in hospital with chest spasms. Mujeeb Qazi, guarding the goal instead, kept the charged-up Railway strikers at bay with timely saves; otherwise the margin would have wider. Friday's semifinals: Air-India vs ONGC; Indian Airlines vs Punjab Police.
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