Air India, Punjab Police win

Tournament favourites Air India, Mumbai, beat Western Railway, Mumbai, 2-1, to become the first team from Pool A to make it to the semi-finals in the BPCL-Aga Khan hockey tournament, at the Bombay Gymkhana, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.

In another Pool-A quarter-final league match, Punjab Police pipped Mumbai Customs 3-2, after leading 3-0 at half-time, and increased their chances of making it to the last four stage.

Bombay Gold Cup winners Air India, who have six points from two wins, shot into the lead in the 30th minute when defender Tarcius Kullu converted their first penalty-corner.

Western equalised through a controversial goal by forward Mukhtiar Singh in the 54th minute. Umpire R V Shelar of Gujarat first blew the whistle indicating a penalty-corner and then awarded a goal when Mukhtiar slammed the ball into the Air India goal. The Air India defenders did not attempt to prevent Mukhtiar from scoring as they thought a penalty-corner had been awarded.

However, in the very next minute, Air India regained the lead after their manager, Peter Saldhana, was sent out of the playing area with a red card. Forward Kishore Kumar sounded the board off Tushar Khandekar cross.

Punjab police took the lead in the seventh minute when their defender Jaskaran Singh converted their first penalty-corner. They increased it 20 minutes later through forward Gurmeet Singh, who scored off a Balwant Singh pass. Seven minutes later, centre-half Gabber Singh made it 3-0 with a solo effort.

Customs rallied strongly after the breather and scored twice in a spell of two minutes. Elton Gonsalves pulled one back in the 23rd minute before former India international John Fernandes could reduce the margin further from a penalty-stroke.