Air India enter semis

The Air-India-Sikh Regiment tussle, however, was a drab affair. The defences held sway and there were just a few goalmouth thrills. Air-India, who had the better share of goal scoring chances, scored the match-winner five minutes from the close.

Air-India had a good opportunity of taking an early lead when they came by a chance in seventh minute. But captain and inside-left Rajesh Chauhan blew it away by missing from close quarters.

Sikh Regiment also suffered the same fate, in the very next minute, when Lalit Indwar failed to score when he had goalkeeper PU Bopanna at his mercy.

The game then drifted into a tame midfield affair before Air-India managed to create two good openings five minutes from half-time. Olympian Gavin Ferreira neatly harnessed Edward Aranha with a fine through pass. Aranha, who had only goalkeeper Jaspal Singh to beat however, failed to get the better of the ‘keeper.

Air-India spearhead Deepak Thakur weaved his way down the middle and had a crack at goal. The ball came off goalkeeper Jaspal’s pads and rolled onto Aranha’s feet before he pushed it into goal. The goal was rightly disallowed by umpire Nasir Khan.

In the second session, goalkeeper Jaspal twice came to his side’s rescue in the early minutes. He first palmed a Rajesh Chauhan scoop off Air-India’s third and final penalty-corner in the 38th minute and then foiled Gagan Ajit Singh’s try.

Air-India were then right on top in the proceedings but had to wait till the 65th minute to convert their superiority into terms of a goal. Kishore Kumar scored off goalkeeper Jaspal’s pads following a goalmouth centre by Aranha from the goalline on the right.

PSB CRUSH IA: There was plenty to shout about in the Punjab Sind Bank and Airlines clash. PSB took the lead early and then successfully maintained for the rest of the first-half.

In the pleasing second-half, three goals came in the span of three minutes, the first coming in the 41st minute. PSB struck twice in this goalfest spell and IA once to make it 3-1 in PSB favour. PSB rounded off the tally in the 62nd minute.

PSB wrested the lead against a complacent IA in the the 11th minute through a stroke which was awarded after Rajnish Mishra had stopped a Sanjeev Kumar Dung try with his body. Defender Rajinder Singh converted with a push to the left of goalkeeper Ashish Ballal.

International Baljit Singh Chandi, who had a good day, made it 2-0 for PSB with a good shot to the far roof past Ballal, following a pass by Sandeep Singh Ghuman.

But IA kept themselves in the fray when international Dilip Tirkey scored following a penalty-corner hit after Olympian Mukesh Kumar had stopped cleanly.

The cheers had hardly died down before Bhupinder Hayer made 3-1 after he scored off a well-measured pass by Chandi.

PSB then resorted to time wasting tactics and were reduced to nine men after Ajit Pal Singh and Bhupinder Hayer were shown the yellow card. They, however, held on grimly before Baljit Chandi scored in fine fashion. He neatly beat goalkeeper Ballal in a one-to-one situation, scooping home after being put through by Hayer.

Semi-final Line-up

Bharat Petroleum vs BPCL

Air-India vs Punjab Police