Indian Airlines, ONGC in
Aga Khan semis

Star-studded Indian Airlines and Oil and Natural Gas Commission made it to the semi-finals, scoring contrasting victories in their concluding quarter-final Pool B league matches in the Aga Khan hockey tournament at the Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Indian Airlines drubbed Bharat Petroleum 3-0, after leading 2-0 at lemon time, while ONGC rallied magnificiently, after trailing 1-3 at half-time, to hold Central Reserve Police Force, Delhi, 3-3.

Indian Airlines, who finished the league stage with seven points, went ahead in the 19th minute when forward Y S Rawat scored off a Brojen Singh pass. Four minutes later Virender Kumar made it 2-0 from a goal-mouth melee. Two minutes from half-time Brojen Singh converted a penalty stroke, which was awarded after his push was stopped by defender Ajay Saroha inside the circle.

CRPF, who had to win today to make it to the semi-finals, were forced to settled for a draw despite their centre-half J Topno scoring the first hat-trick of the tournament.

ONGC seemed down and out after 15 minutes of play as they trailed 0-3, but were bailed out amidst a deluge of penalty-corners -- 12 for CRPF and 10 for ONGC -- by Mohammed Fahad, Amarjeet and Vivek Gupta.

Topno drew first blood for CRPF in the fourth minute off a Mukesh Kumar pass. Ten minutes later he made it 2-0, converting a penalty stroke and in the very next minute scored again as his shot was deflected into goal off ONGC defender Aftab Ahmed's stick.

ONGC pulled one back in the 19th minute through forward Mohammed Fahad off an Anwar Khan diagonal pass.

In the second half, Amarjeet made it 2-3 with a first-time shot and two minutes before the hooter, Gupta scored off the team's tenth penalty-corner.