Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu (HUTN) and SAI-NCoE (Bhopal) played out an entertaining 4-4 draw in the opening match of the 97th edition of the All-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup hockey tournament at the SDAT Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu, which conceded a goal to Rohit Singh in the first minute, fought back through penalty-corner conversions by B.P. Somanna (sixth minute) and Patras Tirkey (10th) to lead 2-1 at the end of the first quarter.

SAI-NCoE drew level through a spectacular solo effort from Nitesh Sharma in the 26th. Dribbling along the left backline, he flicked the ball over the goalkeeper into the top of the net.

Sumit Kindo restored Tamil Nadu’s lead in the 38th minute by deflecting Pruthvi’s flick from the 23-metre line into the right corner. SAI-NCoE equalised again soon after when Nitesh’s drag-flick off Salman Lakra’s penalty corner was blocked by the goalkeeper, allowing Bhrat Kaushik to score off the rebound.

B. Sathish then put Tamil Nadu ahead once more towards the end of the third quarter, deftly deflecting Trikey’s shot from in front of the goalkeeper into the net.

However, SAI-NCoE secured a share of the spoils when Siddhant Singh converted a penalty corner in the 46th minute to make it 4-4.

The result: HUTN 4 (B.P. Somanna 6-pc, Patras Tirkey 10-pc, Sumit Kindo 38, B. Sathish 42) drew with SAI-NCoE, Bhopal 4 (Rohit Singh 1, Nitesh Sharma 26, Bhrat Kaushik 38-pc, Siddhant Singh 46-pc).