MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup 2025: Indian Railways tops table after beating Maharashtra; Army edges past NCOE

In terms of strategy, execution and aesthetics, the two Pool-A matches of the 96th-MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Monday failed to rise above the mundane and ordinary.

First, defending champion Indian Railways thumped Maharashtra 4-2 to top the table with nine points from three matches, and then Indian Army edged out SAI-NCOE (Bhopal) 1-0 for its first win in three matches.

For Army and NCOE, the tie was crucial for a win would keep them in contention for the knockouts. The teams were under pressure to deliver, and it showed in their desperation.

Once Akshay Dubey converted off a penalty corner in the first minute of the match, the cat and mouse game started. NCOE counterattacked with all its might and had three back-to-back penalty corners in a matter of a few minutes in the first quarter, and almost scored in the third. A powerful shot by Ankit Sharma saw IA ‘keeper Senthamizh Arasu dive to his right to palm it away. Army too had its chances in a couple of penalty corners in the second but couldn’t make use of them.

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Despite a comfortable victory, it is not the same Railways team that one has come to know. That aggression and harmony are missing in the team. Even though there are senior players like Sheshe Gowda, Gursahibjit Singh,

Simranjot Singh, among others, it still lacks the sting. After a goalless first quarter, Railways slowly picked up momentum. Railways’ second goal in the fourth quarter showed its quality. Gursahibjit Singh hoodwinked a defender and passed it to Shivam Anand, who in turn gave it to Darshan Gawkar, who deflected it home.