Reigning champions Air India, Mumbai, and Punjab and Sind Bank, Jalandhar, moved into the quarterfinals after recording contrasting victories in the 40th Bombay Gold Cup hockey tournament here today. While AI, who led 1-0 at half time, scraped past a fighting ONGC, Delhi, 3-2, the bankmen struck once in each half to beat Bombay Customs 2-0 in a one-sided contest.The AI-ONGC tie, which was marked by frayed tempers, saw the umpire flashing yellow cards against four players of either sides.Air India shot into the lead when former international and defender Anil Aldrin smartly tapped in a rebound to enable his side to go to the break with a 1-0 lead. In the 46th minute centre half Kishore Kumar made it 2-0 when he scored also off a rebound. Earlier, forward Tushar Khandekar's try off a Roshan Tete cross rebounded straight to Kumar.Down by two goals, ONGC, however, fought back superbly with Anurag Raghuvanshi converting a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute. The spot kick was awarded after ONGC forward Amarjeet Pratap was blocked by AI defenders inside the circle.Four minutes later, ONGC right half Gurpreet Singh equalised off a rebound after Amardeep Pratap's hit ricochetted off Air India goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza's pads. Despite the local team being reduced to ten men after Aldrin was sent off with a yellow card, they managed to get the match winner through Khandekar in a counter attack, just two minutes before the final whistle. (PTI)
Air India, PSB enter Gold Cup quarters
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