ROURKELA: Last edition fianlists both Harayana and Jharkhand joined the host Orissa and Uttar Pradesh in the the semifinals line up of the 21st sub junior girls national hockey championship being played here.
These four champions teams recorded their comfortable victories over their rivals in the quarter final matched held on 28th August. People were expecting some tough matches in QF after witnessing lop sided matches in the first four days of the championship. But their hopes were belied — all the quarter final matches turned out to be onesided affairs. In the four matches winners scored 40 goals while losers could score a solitary goal.
In the first quartes played at the Sports Hostel ground, Panposh at 7 a.m. UP defeated Chhtisgarh 5-0. Winners were leading by solitary goal in the first half. Priya Rai opened the account for them in the 15th minute. In second half UP added four more goals through Kavita Mourya (40th and 45th minutes) and Kamala Rawat (59th and 63rd minute).
Anupama and Nishant Jyoti Mohanty were the umpires.
In the second QF played at the same ground at 9 a.m. host Orissa trounced Delhi 11-0. The victory margin could have become much bigger had Orissa forwards not missed some sitters in the second half. Orissa after establishing a 7-0 lead in the first half seemed a bit complacent in the second half. Orissa looked all over the match right from the word go. Delhi girls looked no match to the host team. Orissa surged into the lead in the 4th minute through Rashmita Kullu. Two minutes later Lilima Minz made it to 2-0. Anupa Barla the live wire of Orissa attack increased the tally to 3-0 by converting a penalty corner into a goal. Later shed added two more goals to her kitty in 27th and 63rd minute. Susheela Ekka (25th and 31st minutes) Poonam Barla (62nd and 66th minutes) Reshma Ekka (33rd) and Elita Barla (44th) were the other scorers for the winners.
Rushmita Tirkey and Nidhin Gupta were the umpires.
In the 3rd QF match played at the Biju Patnaik hockey stadium at 2 p.m runners up Jharkhand humiliated hap less MP team by recording a 17-1 victory over them. MP looked help less against the marauding forwards of Jharkhand. They scored the goals at will. But still MP celebrated their lone goal which came in the fag end (68th minute) of the game in the form of a penalty stroke. Pragyan Mourya converted this into a goal. Earlier Jharkhand pumped in 17 goals against their rivals. Birsi Mundu (4 goals in 30th, 33rd, 34th , 35th), Asha Kumari (4 goals in 15th, 23rd, 43rd, 53rd minutes), skipper Shabnam Lakra (2 goals in 25th and 39th minutes), Sushano Purti (2 goals in 26th and 27th minutes), Basanti (2 goals in 42nd and 65th minutes), Anupa Kerketta (2 goals 19th and 61st minutes) and Nikki Pradhan (1 goal in 58th minute) were the scorers for the winners.
Nidhi Gupta and Rasmita Tirkey were the umpires.
In the 4th QF match of the day played at the Biju Patnaik hockey stadium defending champions Harayana ousted Gwalior Academy by defeating them 7-0. The star forward international Rani Devi turned out as the ‘Maharani’ of her team as she alone scored all the seven goals for Harayana. Spectators were expecting a keenly contesting tussle between these two teams. The first ten minutes produced a spirited match even but once Rani tasted the blood in the 11th minute then there was stopping for the Haryanvi girls. A controversial penalty corner goal by Rani Devi had a demorlising effect on the Gwalior girls. Rani’s penalty corner hit instead of hitting the board went into the net and still signaled valid by the umpire stunned the Gwalior team. They protested but umpire Rushmita Tirkey after consulting second umpire stood by her decision. This goal changed the complexion of the match. Hereafter Harayana went into offensive and within next ten minutes added two more goals (20th and 21st minutes). Rani Devi seemed unstoppable in front of the goal mouth. Whenever she received the ball near rival goal mouth she converted it into a goal or in penalty corner. Rani Devi scored 4 more goals in second half (36th, 38th, 42nd -Penalty corner, 52nd minutes.
Rushmita Tirkey and Anupama were the umpires.
The semi final matches will be played on Satudardy 30th August.
In the 1st semi final Haryana will meet Orissa while in 2nd semi final Jharkhand will clash with Uttar Pradesh.