After a playing out a tough 3-3 draw in its opening match against Central Secretariat on Saturday, defending champion Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) outplayed Mumbai Hockey Association to soar to a 4-0 win, while Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) beat a resolute Chennai Hockey Association 4-0 on Day four of the Murugappa Gold Cup hockey on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Indian Navy suffered its first defeat of the tournament after losing 4-2 to Punjab and Sind Bank.
Both Mumbai and ONGC were on equal terms in the first quarter of an hour, winning two penalty corners each and registering as many shots on goal. The deadlock was broken in the 17th minute when Indian international Shilanand Lakra’s diving finish gave ONGC a 1-0 lead.
Day three report: ONGC begins title defence with 3-3 draw against Central Secretariat
Gurjant Singh doubled ONGC’s lead in the 27th minute when he latched on to a pass from Sumit Kumar on the left flank. Navin Kheratkar went close to scoring for Mumbai in the 33rd minute but his scoop to beat the goalkeeper sailed over the bar.
ONGC dominated the second half and Neelam Xess scored a perfect dragflick into the top corner three minutes into the second half to make it 3-0. ONGC won four corners before the 60th minute and went close on multiple occasions, but Mumbai goalkeeper Sudhir Dixit made a few fine saves to keep the scoreline 3-0. However, he was beaten soon as Jagwant Singh scored off a Gurjant pass to earn ONGC its first victory of this edition.
In the third match of the day, IOC started strongly by winning back-to-back corners against Chennai Hockey Association, which won two corners of its won in the 5th and 6th minute. It was IOC that went into the lead when Affan Yusuf scored from the edge of the circle in the 10th minute.
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Chennai defended in numbers after that and made it difficult for IOC forwards to get a shot on the goal and ended the first half ended 1-0.
IOC aptain V. R. Raghunath broke Chennai’s resolve when he placed his 50th-minute drag flick out of the goalkeeper’s reach and into the net. Five minutes later, Deepak Bejawad made it 3-0 after receiving a right-wing pass from Talwinder Singh. Buoyed by the vociferous local support, Chennai made few late forays into the opposition box, but was unable to find the back of the net. Gurjinder Singh’s strike from a penalty corner in the 62nd minute ended the match 4-0 in IOC's favour.
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