India: Prabhjot keeps IOC in the hunt
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| India |
December 28, 2004 
Mid-Day Mumbai, India
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Indian Oil rallied from three goals down to hold former champions Air India to a 3-3 draw in the Bombay Hockey Association Super league encounter at the BHA-Mahindra Stadium yesterday.
Though the first half only saw one goal scored by the Airmen, the second half was a cliffhanger of sorts. Air-India took the lead with 23 minutes gone in the fist half. Olympian Gavin Ferreira chipped in from close range for Kishore Kumar to sound the board.
After the breather, the Airmen scored two more goals in a span of a minute. Kishore Kumar doubled his tally in the match after he received a neat pass from Devendar Kumar 15 minutes into the second half. Osaf-ul-Rehman piled on more agony for IOC scoring the third.
Stunned by the blows, league leaders and favourite to win the title, IOC bounced back in style. Had IOC won the match, they would have got a hand on to the trophy.
With just 15 minutes to go, IOC started their fight back. Olympian Prabhjot Singh fired a brace (58th and 65th minutes) while Kamlesh Kumar scored the other goal just before the hour mark.
With the draw, IOC are level on points with Western Railway (22) but have a game in hand while WR have played out all their nine games. IOC now play Tat Sports Club and a win or a draw would be enough for the them to clinch the title.
In an First Division encounter played earlier in the day, State Bank of India outclassed Mumbai Police 3-0 through Amol Pawar, Sudhir Nair and Trevor Netto.
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