<p>In a must-win fixture, Air India men edged past Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) 2-1 in the Bengaluru Cup hockey tournament played at Hockey Stadium on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>With this win, Air India booked their place in the final of the tournament, to be played on Monday, where they will face defending champions IOCL. <br /><br />In the women’s category, last year’s finalists Madhya Pradesh Academy, who hammered Punjab 5-0 on Sunday, and Haryana will clash for title.<br /><br />Air India came into the match with nine points from four games while IOCL had 10 from the same number of games.<br /><br />After Army XI trounced Karnataka 7-3 in an earlier fixture and were on ten points themselves, Air India needed a win and they got the job done with a disciplined display.<br /><br />IOCL, requiring just a draw to qualify, appeared to have reduced their intensity by a notch, and Air India made full use of it and went ahead in the ninth minute from a penalty corner.<br /><br />Prabodh Tirkey hit a fine drive that beat IOCL custodian Devesh Chauhan for the first goal. <br /><br />The match then turned into a hard-fought contest with both sides using their physical stature to intimidate the opposition. But it was Air India who looked to be winning the battle as they added a second in the 32nd minute through Aiyappa PR. Prabhjot Singh pulled one back for IOCL in the 65th minute but it was too little too late.<br /><br />Results: Men: Air India: 2 (Prabodh Tirkey 9th, Aiyappa PR 32nd) bt IOCL: 1 (Prabhjot Singh 65th); Army XI: 7 (Binay Bengara 2nd, 38th, 61st, 64th, Chandan Aind 10th, Vishwa Thakur 54th, Siraju AP 59th) bt Karnataka XI: 3 (Abhishek 7th, 16th, Nitin Thimmaiah 53rd).<br /><br />Women: MP Academy: 5 (Reena Khokar 11th, 39th, Sidhi Singh 19th, Shivani Singh 38th, Karishma Singh 47th) bt Punjab: 0.</p>
<p>In a must-win fixture, Air India men edged past Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) 2-1 in the Bengaluru Cup hockey tournament played at Hockey Stadium on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>With this win, Air India booked their place in the final of the tournament, to be played on Monday, where they will face defending champions IOCL. <br /><br />In the women’s category, last year’s finalists Madhya Pradesh Academy, who hammered Punjab 5-0 on Sunday, and Haryana will clash for title.<br /><br />Air India came into the match with nine points from four games while IOCL had 10 from the same number of games.<br /><br />After Army XI trounced Karnataka 7-3 in an earlier fixture and were on ten points themselves, Air India needed a win and they got the job done with a disciplined display.<br /><br />IOCL, requiring just a draw to qualify, appeared to have reduced their intensity by a notch, and Air India made full use of it and went ahead in the ninth minute from a penalty corner.<br /><br />Prabodh Tirkey hit a fine drive that beat IOCL custodian Devesh Chauhan for the first goal. <br /><br />The match then turned into a hard-fought contest with both sides using their physical stature to intimidate the opposition. But it was Air India who looked to be winning the battle as they added a second in the 32nd minute through Aiyappa PR. Prabhjot Singh pulled one back for IOCL in the 65th minute but it was too little too late.<br /><br />Results: Men: Air India: 2 (Prabodh Tirkey 9th, Aiyappa PR 32nd) bt IOCL: 1 (Prabhjot Singh 65th); Army XI: 7 (Binay Bengara 2nd, 38th, 61st, 64th, Chandan Aind 10th, Vishwa Thakur 54th, Siraju AP 59th) bt Karnataka XI: 3 (Abhishek 7th, 16th, Nitin Thimmaiah 53rd).<br /><br />Women: MP Academy: 5 (Reena Khokar 11th, 39th, Sidhi Singh 19th, Shivani Singh 38th, Karishma Singh 47th) bt Punjab: 0.</p>
