Air India, IOCL keep winning
BANGALORE: Air India maintained their winning streak, registering a narrow 5-3 win over Fortis in the Ozonegroup State Super Division hockey event in Bangalore on Friday.
Two goals each from internationals Birendra Lakra and Shivendra Singh along with a strike by local favourite Arjun Halappa swelled Air India’s tally en route to their fifth consecutive win.
In another contest, Indian Oil blanked a hapless Army Green 5-0. Drag-flicker VR Raghunath pumped in the first and last goals for IOCL on the day, both through his typical power-packed penalty direct-flick conversions, even as the former champions attempted set-piece variations in between. Forward Arjun Antil put IOCL 2-0 ahead in the 29th minute.
Roshan Minz increased the tally for the title favourites just after the break with a splendid reverse hit from the right of the goal after latching on to a long pass by Inderjit Singh Chadda. Vikramkanth netted the fourth for IOCL, deflecting in the ball after a penalty-corner rebound.
Defending champions BPCL overcame a spirited challenge from Army Services Corps, thanks to a triple strike by Hari Prasad.
Results: Air India: 5 (Birendra Lakra 12th, 42nd, Arjun Halappa 27th, Shivendra Singh 46th, 57th) bt Fortis: 3 (Diwakar Ram 46th, Tyron Perira 52nd, Gurinder Singh 67th); IOCL: 5 (V Raghunath 8th PC, 66th PC, Arjun Antil 29th, Roshan Minz 37th, Vickramkanth 43rd PC) bt Army Green: 0; BPCL: 4 (Hari Prasad 7th, 46th, 53rd, Thushar Khandker 52nd) bt ASC: 1 (AM Chittiappa 9th PC); SAI: 2 (SK Uthappa 26th, Deepak Bijwad 27th PC) bt MLI: 1 (Roshan Bhengra 46th PC).
Saturday’s matches: Army Red vs Fortis, 2.15 pm; IOCL vs Namdharis, 3.45 pm, SAI vs Air India, 5.30 pm.