IOC, PSB enter semi-finals

Indian Oil Corporation and Punjab and Sind Bank entered the semi-finals of the 62nd Senior National Hockey Championship at the Olympian Surjit hockey stadium in Jalandhar on Sunday.

IOC got the better of Railways by solitary goal while PSB blanked Chandigarh 2-0.

Namdhari XI upset hosts Punjab 1-0 in another match of the day.

International Didar Singh converted the lone penalty-corner that Indian Oil earned to give them an early lead in the 12th minute of the match, which was otherwise dominated by Railways.

Railways had four penalty-corners in the first-half but IOC goalkeeper Baljit Singh proved hard to beat.

In the second session, Railways earned two more penalty-corners but failed to convert them.

PSB won easily against Chandigarh in a scrappy match. Sharanjit Singh opened the account for holders PSB, converting a penalty-corner in the 24th minute. Rajwinder Singh consolidated the lead, scoring a superb goal in the 40th minute.

Gurpreet scored in the 62nd min as Namdhari beat Punjab.