Indian Navy beat BPCL on penalties to win 97th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup

Indian Navy beat Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) 5-4 in a penalty shootout to claim the 97th All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup at the SDAT Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, after the final finished 1-1 in regulation time.

The match was closely contested throughout, with both teams failing to convert several penalty-corners and other close opportunities. Navy opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Abhishek Topno finished a pass from Pawan Rajbhar, who had linked with Sundra Pandi down the left flank.

BPCL’s goalkeeper Vikas Dahiya kept his side in the game with a block on Harjeet Singh’s close-range attempt in the 21st minute. BPCL then levelled in the closing seconds of the first half when Anmol Ekka scored from the second of two successive penalty corners.

Neither side could break the deadlock in the third quarter despite each earning two penalty corners, and the scoreline remained unchanged through the final quarter. The contest extended to a penalty shootout after the 1-1 draw.

In the shootout, Ashis Topno, Pawan Rajbhar, Kuldeep and K. Selvaraj converted for Navy, while Charanjeet Singh, Sudeep Chirmako, Harjeet Singh and Devindar Walmiki scored for BPCL. Deepak Pradhan missed for BPCL and Yogesh Singh missed for Navy.

Both teams had converted four of their initial five attempts, sending the tie into sudden death; Navy goalkeeper Ankit Malik then saved Sudeep Chirmako’s attempt and Kuldeep scored the decisive sudden-death penalty to secure the title for the Indian Navy.

The result (final): Indian Navy 1 (Abhishek Topno 14) drew with BPCL 1 (Anmol Ekka 30-pc). Navy won 5-4 in the shootout.