MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup 2025: Railways beats Navy in final to complete three-peat of titles

Proving the adage that form is temporary and class is permanent, defending champion Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) took a firm hold of the match from the beginning to subdue a youthful Indian Navy team 3-1 in the final of the 96th MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, and complete a hat-trick of titles.

After a sedate start in the group stage, Railways peaked when it mattered most: in the knockouts. 

It was a lesson in spotting the weakness of the opponent, working out a plan, and executing it perfectly.

Realising Navy’s efficiency in deflections through long and short passes from 25 yards, dotted lines and the striking circle, Railways defence suffocated the opposition strikers for space in the circle.

Throughout the match, Railways has the upper hand, negating Navy’s counter-attacks with ease.

Pankaj Rawat helped Railways regain the lead with a copy-book penalty corner conversion in the third quarter before Niyaz Rahim’s (in picture) fierce hit from the circle in the 57th minute took the contest beyond Navy’s reach.
| Photo Credit:
JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Hardly 10 minutes into the contest, Railways scored through Shivam Anand who scooped one to the roof of the goal after receiving Gursahibjit Singh’s pass from the left. Railways could have had a two-goal cushion at the end of the first quarter but Zameer — the last man standing behind the goalkeeper Sanjay Bhaskar — put away a shot by Sayyad Niyaz Rahim.

Soon, Navy equalised through Aakib Rahim Arif who slotted it home from the top of the circle. However, Railways quickly returned to the driving seat while bombarding the opposition’s circle with counter-attacks.

Pankaj Rawat helped Railways regain the lead with a copy-book penalty corner conversion in the third quarter before Niyaz Rahim’s fierce hit from the circle in the 57th minute took the contest beyond Navy’s reach.

“It’s a huge achievement for us to have a hat-trick [of titles] in such a big tournament. We improved after each match. We knew the opponent will be depending on the slap shot. We only had to make sure we block it once they enter the 25-yard,” said an ecstatic Sunil Kumar Singh, who was Railways’ head coach for all three successful editions.

Railways received Rs. 7 lakh as prize money, while Navy received Rs. 5 lakh. M. M. Murugappan, Chairman, CUMI and Chola MS, gave away the prizes.