IOCL, BPCL reach top to qualify for knock-out semifinals

Pune, Mar 28 (UNI) Defending champions Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and hosts Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) topped their resepctive pools and secured berth in the knock-out semifinals of the 25th edition of the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) hockey championship, being played at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's (PCMC) poligrass stadium in Nehrunagar Pimpri.

BPCL got the better off Gas Authority of India (GAIL) 3-1 in their last pool A league outing with their star centre forward Deepak Sharma slamming a 'hat trick'. Sharma opened the score in the eighth minute after Saba Omkil made a fine opening for him to provide the finish.

GAIL fought back and restored parity via Chander Prakash in the 9th minute on a fine cross from P Charansingh. Sharma, combining well with Tushar Khandekar, increased the lead in the 11th minute.

The ebullient Sharma then struck in the 22nd minute, capitalising on Ajay Surche's spade work and in the process completed the hat trick.

GAIL, however, kept their hopes alive posting a 5-1 win over Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) in their pool tie. The winners netted once each via P C Goyal, Sandeep Yadav, Mohammed Arif, Arvind Tiyagi and P Chaurasia. CPCL scored a consolation goal via K K Mani.

On the other hand, IOCL coasted to a fluent 4-1 win over Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) in their final Pool B league tie.

Olympian Deeak Thakur set the tone, sounding the boards, in the sixth minute follwing an inside right Inderjit Singh's square pass.

Thakur also struck in the 34th minute to complete a brace. In between Nitin Kumar made a solo burst to find the target in the 32nd minute and Deedar Singh rounded off the winner's tally chipping with a goal in the 53rd minute.

ONGC reduced the margin via Amarjit Pratab in the 59th minute connecting the opening made by Mandeep Antil.

In yet another pool, B league tie Engineers India Limited (EIL) blanked India Petro Chemicals Limited (IPCL) 5-0 in a one-sided tie.

The winners scored once each through M A Patil, V Z Rathwa, U M Babul G M Mahawar and N D Tandel.

UNI