PSPB, RSCB enter semis; Services, FCI too register narrow wins to qualify

Pune, Sep 12 (PTI) Defending champions Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB), Services Sports Control Board (SSC), Railway Sports Promotion Board and Food Corporation of India (FCI) stormed into the semifinals with contrasting wins in the fourth Hockey India Inter-Department National Championship here on Thursday.

In the first quarterfinal, PSPB dominated the Steel Plant Sports Board with a decisive 6-2 victory at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium.

PSPB's Rosan Minz scored the opening goal in the first minute, followed by a hat-trick from Talwinder Singh (34th, 42nd, 44th). Yousuf Affan (41st) and Jagwant Singh (55th) added to the tally.

Steel Plant Sports Board's goals came from Sem Munda (11th) and Abdul Qadir (29th), but they couldn't keep up with PSPB's pace.

In the second quarterfinal, SSCB edged out Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) 2-1.

Services' Pratap Shinde (39th) scored the winning goal off a penalty-corner after Sukhdev Singh (3rd) scored the opening goal and Manish Yadav (12th) levelled scored for his team to end the first half 1-1.

The third quarterfinal was a tough battle between last year's runner-up RSCB and Sports Authority of India with the former prevailing 3-2 to advance into the semifinals.

RSPB played out 15 minutes of the second half with 10 men after Pardeep Singh received a red card by umpire Harshith AIyappa.

RSCB were off the blocks with Shivam Anand (3rd) and Yuvraj Walmiki (19th) converting the opportunities. Between the two goals, SAI cut the margin when Pankaj (8th) converted a penalty corner which finished the first half at 2-1.

After resuming, Joginder Singh (53rd) netted for RSCB to make it 3-1. However, Pankaj (58th) once again reduced the margin before SAI fell short on time.

FCI completed the semifinal line-up with a 2-1 over Punjab National Bank (PNB).

Paramvir Singh (58th) and Boby Singh Dhami (59th) turned heroes for FCI with late strikes after Gursimran Singh (14th) gave the bank men a first half lead. PTI ATK SSC SSC