Air India win Gold Cup hockey

Our Correspondent

Mandeep Singh's goal in the dying minutes of play gave Air India, Bombay, the Bombay Gold Cup hockey title.

At the Bombay Hockey Association's Mahindra stadium on Tuesday, the local giants staged a magnificent recovery to beat national champions Indian Airlines, Delhi, 3-2 in the final of the 39th edition of the tournament and register their maiden triumph in the Blue Riband hockey fixture of western India.

Indeed, it was a dream recovery by Air India. They were down by two goals within seven minutes from the start but produced vintage stuff thereafter to take the game away from the illustrious opponents.

Altaf-ur Rehman and former India full-back Rajnish Mishra put Indian Airlines high in the saddle with two goals even before the good compliment of spectators that turned up for the final could settle down into their seats -- the former finishing on a quick passing bout between Olympian Mukesh Kumar and his brother Suresh for the first goal in the fifth minute, and Mishra driving hard and true from a penalty-corner, a minute later. The goals made it appear that a one-sided final was on the cards. However, the Bombay outfit showed the stuff champions are made of, by rallying to score a memorable victory.

With roving forward Edward Aranha forced to sit out because of the two yellow cards he collected in the semi-final against Punjab and Sind Bank on Monday, Air India's hopes rested on their half-line. In the circumstances, the mantle of provider fell on former international Gavin Ferreira. And he, along with young Viren Rasquinha, did not let Air India down. In fact, much credit for the triumph should go to Rasquinha. The centre-half stuck to Mukesh Kumar like a leech and hardly allowed the famed forward room to manoeuvre.

Air India pulled one back in the ninth minute through Gavin Ferreira, who scored following a penalty-corner, and from then on they were always on the ascendant. Their efforts bore fruit again eight minutes later when Kishore Kumar sounded the boards from an indirect penalty-corner after being put through by former India back Cornelius D'Costa.

With the scores level both teams went all out for the match-winner. In the end, it was Air India's better staying power that proved decisive as Mandeep Singh scored eight second from time.

Following a one-two between Kishore Kumar and Rasquinha, the last-named laid a defence-splitting diagonal for Mandeep, who ran around a defender and found the mark, to dash Indian Airlines' hopes of winning the title for the fifth time.

For all his efforts right through the tournament, Mukesh Kumar was voted the player of the tournament while Kushmeet Singh was adjudged best defender.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Jewella Miranda