Riding on Gaganpreet Singh's hat-trick, defending champions Air India beat Tamil Nadu XI 5-4 in their Group A match played at the MHA-Mahindra stadium here today but failed to make it to the semifinals of the 10th All India Guru Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup Hockey.
The title holders lost the semifinal spot to Army XI on goal difference.
Air India squandered a brilliant opportunity when Joga Singh after breaking through the rival defence failed to get past Tamil Nadu goalkeeper Udhaya Kumar in the seventh minute.
But Tamil Nadu skipper V Raja helped his side draw the first blood in the same minute.
Air India bounced back to overhaul the deficit and scored two quick goals through Sameer Dad and Gaganpreet in the 16th minute and 20th minute respectively.
Tamil Nadu equalised early in second half with a goal from Dhileepan in the 37th minute.
Joga Singh scored a field goal for the airline company in the 42nd minute. Gaganpreet converted two more penalty corners in the 47th and 52nd minute to put Air India ahead 5-2 but the southern team came back with two quick goals in the 56th and 58th minute from Albert John and D Dhamu.
In another Group A match, Western Railway beat Army XI 5-3. Army men took the lead in the 16th minute through a penalty corner by Chandan Aind but Western Railway slammed in two quick goals in 21st and 25th through Amit Rohidass, who scored from a penalty corner, and Malak Singh who scored a field goal.
In the second half, Western Railways scored three goals within five minutes to seal the match. Jaykaran and captain Vinod Singh scored in 41st and 43rd minute, while Amit Rohidass converted another penalty corner in the 45th minute.
