MCC-Murugappa Hockey: BPCL, Air India enter semis

Chennai - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Air India completed the semi-final line-up in the 87th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament in contrasting styles here on Thursday.

BPCL profited when Indian Overseas Bank surprised Army XI 2-1, courtesy goals by Vinod and Bupinder.

The result saw BPCL and Army XI, for whom Jasroja scored, tied with five points apiece in pool A, but the former scrambled into the semis on better goal difference to set up a clash with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).

Air India went down 2-3 to IOCL, but the result was inconsequential as both teams had already booked their berths in the semis. IOCL with 12 points finished on top of pool A with 12 points followed by Air India (9) who take on Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) in the semis.

Both semi-final matches are scheduled for Saturday after a day’s break on Friday.

Prabhjot Singh, Roshan Minz and VR Raghunath scored for IOC while Air India struck through Vikas Pillay and Joga Singh in a match that saw a 44-minute stoppage due to heavy rains.

Earlier, Indian Railways beat Integral Coach Factory 3-1 in an inconsequential pool B game. The Railways finished third in the group while ICF, having lost all their matches, occupied the cellar position.