Holders Army XI crashed out of the 45th Bombay Gold Cup hockey tournament after playing out a goalless draw against Punjab Police in a Pool X semi-final match in Mumbai on Saturday.
Army XI, who forced five penalty-corners but failed to score off any of the set-pieces, have a match in hand against IHF Development XI on April 23, but both the teams are out of contention.
The Punjab cops, five-time winners of the prestigious trophy, were also unsuccessful with the three penalty-corners they earned in the match.
They took their points tally to four and have a decisive match against Air India on Sunday that will complete their semi-final engagements.
Air India, sitting pretty with six points, need only a draw against Punjab Police to go through to the April 25 summit clash.
Punjab Police, who beat IHF Development team in their opener and are striving to regain the title they last won in 1999, however, need a victory to seal a berth in the final.
In the second match of the day, Bharat Petroluem outclassed Oil and Natural Gas Corporation 7-0 in a Pool Y semi-final league match to shunt the later out of contention for a berth in the final.
Forward Hari Prasad scored a brace of field goals, including the opener in the 12th minute, while Irfan Ali struck twice through penalty-corners for BPCL, who led 2-0 at half-time.
The petroleum men's other goal scorers were Prabhdeep Singh (penalty-corner), ex-international Sabu Varkey and Pundalik Bellary, who scored a field goal to complete the rout three minutes from the end.
BPCL, who had earlier lost to former champions Border Security Force, have three points with a match in hand against group leaders Namdhari XI on April 23.
Today's defeat was the second in a row for ONGC and they have no hopes of entering the final.
