Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) kept their semifinal aspirations alive in the 97th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup after snatching a dramatic 2-2 draw against
For Hockey Karnataka, the result was a bitter pill to swallow. Entering the match needing a victory to maintain their own hopes of progressing to the knockout stages, they held a lead heading into the final moments before conceding the late equaliser. The draw confirms their exit from the tournament, leaving them to reflect on a match where they had successfully overturned an early deficit.
A Tense Battle for Survival
The match began with IOCL asserting early pressure, rewarded in the ninth minute when Talvinder Singh broke the deadlock. The goal came from a penalty corner sequence, with Talvinder pouncing on a rebound after an initial drag-flick from Gurjinder Singh was blocked by the Karnataka goalkeeper.
However, Karnataka responded with resilience as the game progressed. B. Abharan Sudev levelled the scores in the 28th minute, finishing off a well-constructed team move. Momentum shifted in favour of Karnataka shortly after the half-time interval when C.J. Rahul found the back of the net in the 32nd minute to give his side a 2-1 lead.
As the clock ticked down, IOCL found themselves increasingly desperate to find an opening. Their frustration mounted in the 55th minute when Affan Yousuf missed a golden opportunity to equalise from a one-on-one situation. With time running out, IOCL earned a penalty corner, but the initial attempt failed to produce a goal. Following a review, the officials awarded a second penalty corner, and this time, Roshan Minz made no mistake, finding the net in the final seconds to secure a vital point for his team.
