Day-1
M Jr Nationals: 2015 edition commences

Mysore (Karnataka), 1 April 2015: The 5th edition of Hockey India Junior Men National Hockey Championship 2015 commenced today in Mysore, Karnataka and is scheduled to go on till 12th April 2015. The opening day of the Championship today, saw five back to back matches between ten teams, aiming to start their run on a winning note.

The inaugural day witnessed a thrilling match where Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd (Pool A) defeated Goans Hockey 10-0. The second match observed Vidarbha Hockey Association of Pool A registering their first win 3-2 win over Hockey Uttarakhand. In another league match of Pool B, Delhi Hockey blanked Tripura Hockey by a huge goal margin of 12-2. In the second match of Pool B, Hockey Puducherry trounced Hockey Gujarat 14-1 to mark their first win. In the last match of the day, Bengal Hockey Association beat Hockey Andhra Pradesh 7-2.

In the first match of Pool A, Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. drubbed Goans Hockey with a huge goal margin of 10-0. Mumbai Hockey Association was on a high in the entire match as they did not allow the opponents to score a single goal. The match saw its first goal being scored in the 18th minute when Kunal Bhandary through a field goal took the early lead for his team. This started the goals for the team as teammate Atish Shirke scored the second goal in the 21st minute going on to double the lead for his team. Just before the end of second half, Mumbai Hockey Association scored their 3rd goal in the 27th minute and it was Kunal Bhandary again who added the second goal to his personal tally. In the second half Mumbai Hockey Association added another 10 goals before taking the win over Goans Hockey. 39th minute they added the fourth goal through a penalty corner and in the 43rd minute it was Kunal Bhandary again who scored for his team and taking the score to 5-0. Another 4 goals were added in the 45th, 47th, 49th and 51st minute. The last goal was scored by Suraj Shahi in the 67th minute wherein he successfully converted through a field goal.

In another Pool A match, Vidarbha Hockey Association registered their first win as they took on Uttarakhand. In a close nail biting match it was the former who kept its nerves and won the match by 3-2. While almost the first half of the game went dull and dry, it was Vidarbha Hockey Association who finally broke the shackles in the 29th minute. Shakeen Shaikh scored a brilliant field goal and giving his team the much required opening goal for his team. At the end of first half Vidarbha Hockey Association was leading the game 1-0. The second half of the game proved to be more intense for both the teams as the teams made desperate efforts to reach the net. Vidarbha Hockey Association’s Shadab Khan and Rahul Kalakoti scored two consecutive goals in the 50th and the 51st minute of the game taking the lead to 3-0. In endeavour to open their score card, Uttarakhand stood successful and scored a goal through a penalty stroke through Captain Manoj Tamta in the 67th minute which was closely followed by another goal by Siddharth Miyan who penetrated the ball in the net in the 68th minute and managed to double the lead. But unable to score the equaliser goal, Vidarbha Hockey Association won the match with a close margin of 2-3.

The third match of the day between Delhi Hockey and Tripura Hockey was another exciting clash as the former scored 12 goals to the latter’s 2 goals and going on to seal the game on their name. When it seemed the first half might just end goalless, Delhi Hockey scored their first goal in the 29th minute coming from the stick of Rizwan Khan. Not satisfied with just one goal Rizwan Khan helped his team double the lead in the 35th minute when a penalty corner helped them score the second goal. With scores at 2-0 on Delhi’s favour, Tripura Hockey started looking to score. But Delhi Hockey had different plans as just two minutes into the second half, the team added their third goal in the 37th minute coming from the stick of Arun Kumar. In the 43rd and 48th minute, Delhi’s Mohit Anand scored a brace, taking his team’s score to 5-0. Delhi added two more goals in the 54th and 58th minute coming from Neeraj Kumar and Narender respectively. The very next minute Tripura Hockey scored their first goal when Sheetal Prasad score through a field goal and the score read 7-1. Delhi counter attacked and next minute they added their 8thgoal through Arun Kumar. Tripura scored their second goal in the 62ndminute coming again from the stick of Sheetal Prasad. With scores at 8-2, Delhi Hockey scored 4 more goals to their tally coming in the 64th, 66th, 68th and 69th minute.

Another exhilarating match of Pool B between Hockey Puducherry and Hockey Gujarat resulted in the former defeating the later 14-1. Just five minutes into the game, P. Thiru Murugan scored the first goal of the match in the 5th minute followed by another goal in the 6th minute by P. Mahendran who successfully converted the penalty corner and doubled the lead to 2-0. Hockey Puducherry continued their scoring streak when their Captain T. Arun Kumar stroked a beautiful field goal in the 16thminute. The team escalated their scores as the fourth and the fifth goal came from the stick of P. Mahendran and T. Kaliaiyarasan in the 17th and 22nd minute respectively. Hockey Gujarat scored their maiden goal in the 23rd minute to open the score card through Shubham Yadav coming from a field effort taking the score to 5-1. P. Mahendran’s brace in the 25th and 29th minute advanced the lead to 7-1 in favour of Puducherry. With just four minutes to get the first half over, V. Veera Thamizhan added another goal to his team in 31st minute and the score board read 8-1. The second half of the game saw the raining of goals for Puducherry as they got a penalty corner which was taken by S. Muthu Krishnan and successfully converted it in 39th minute. Hockey Puducherry scored four goals in 53rd, 54th, 55th and 56th minute. With Hockey Gujarat unable to add any goals, Hockey Puducherry scored a winning goal in the 69th minute when P. Mahendran put the ball past the goalkeeper which helped them win the game by 14-1.

In the last clash of the day between Bengal Hockey Association and Hockey Andhra Pradesh of Pool C, Bengal Hockey Association were seen dominating the match as they went on to thrash Hockey Andhra Pradesh by 7-2 on board. The first half of the match saw a nail biting clash where Bengal Hockey Association scored 3 goals and Hockey Andhra Pradesh scored 1 to reduce the margin. The second half saw Bengal Hockey Association going all out to score four more goals to take their total up to 7 goals and restricted Hockey Andhra Pradesh to a mere 2 goals in the match. By the full time, Bengal Hockey Association defeated Hockey Andhra Pradesh by 7-2 on board and registered their first win in the tournament.

Results of the Day-

Pool A – Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. 10 Kunal Bhandary (18, 27 and 43 min), Atish Shirke (21 min), Vinay Valmiki (39 and 45 min), Suraj Shahi (47, 49 and 67 min), Nitesh Kamble (51 min) vs Goans Hockey 0

Pool A- Vidarbha Hockey Association 3 Shakeen Shaikh (29 min), Shadab Khan (50 min), Rahul Kalakoti (51 min) vs Hockey Uttarakhand 2 Manoj Tamta (67 min), Siddharth Miyan (68 min)

Pool B – Delhi Hockey 12 Rizwan Khan (28, 35 min), Mohit Anand (43, 48, 58 min), Neeraj Kumar (54 min), Amit (58min), Arun Kumar (60, 66, 68 min), Narender (66min), Nitin Kumar (69 min) vs Tripura Hockey 2 Sheetal Prasad (59, 62 min)

Pool B – Hockey Puducherry 14, P. Thiru Murugan (5 and 55 min), P. Mahendran (6, 17, 25, 29, 53, 69 min), T. Arun Kumar (16 min), T. Kaliaiyarasan (22 min), V. Veera Thamizhan (31 and 54 min), S. Muthu Krishnan (39 and 56 min) vs Hockey Gujarat 1 Shubham Yadav (23 min)

Pool C – Bengal Hockey Assoaciation 7, Raushan Kumar (5, 42 min), Md Saif Khan (20 min), Ashok Kujur (22 min), Sanjay Paswan (36, 65 min), Gurpreet Singh (57 min) vs Hockey Andhra Pradesh 2, Srikanth Chemudu Gunta (26min), Kamal Rajaprabhkar (38 min)

M Jr Nationals: Day III: Wins on expected lines

Mysore (Karnataka), 3 April 2015: With the teams marking their respective wins, on the third day, the ground of Mysore witnessed exciting clashes at the 5th edition of the Hockey India Junior Men National Hockey Championship 2015 in Mysore, Karnataka.

Where Hockey Gangpur- Odisha registered its first win against Hockey Bihar 7-1, Assam Hockey played against Hockey Rajasthan and posted an exciting win 6-4. The third match of the day saw Hockey Andhra Pradesh taking over Kerala Hockey 3-1. Another exciting match went in favour of Hockey Jammu and Kashmir where they defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh by 7-2. The fifth match witnessed Vidarbha Hockey Association defeating Goans Hockey 4-1 followed by the last match where Dadra and Nagar Haveli Hockey Association trounced Tripura Hockey 11-1.

The day started with a fast paced exciting contest between Hockey Bihar and Hockey Gangpur-Odisha where, the latter started its campaign on a winning note and beat the former 7-1 in the Pool D match. With both teams looking at opening the scorecard it was Hockey Bihar who took the initial lead in the 8thminute through Sukhram Mundu. Trailing the match Hockey Gangpur-Odisha came back strong and drew level immediately as they scored the equaliser goal in the 10th minute as Rasananda Khalkho’s field goal took the score to 1-1. Continuing their aggressive play, Hockey Gangpur Odisha score again in the 17thminute as Sanjay Xalxo stroked a field goal. The team earned a penalty corner which was perfectly converted by Pratap lakra in the 29th minute and taking the score to taking the score 3-1. Adding the second goal to his personal tally, Rasananda Khalkho notched another field goal in the 32nd minute taking the lead to 4-1. Sanjay Xalxo displayed a wonderful stick work and added three consecutive goals to his name in the 34th, 53rd and 60th minute, escalating the scores to 7-1. The game ended with a win for Hockey Gangpur- Odisha against Hockey Bihar 7-1.

Registering its first win in another Pool D match, Assam Hockey defeated Hockey Rajasthan 6-4 in a close tie today. The game saw its first two goals in favour of Assam Hockey where Harvir Singh beautifully converted the penalty corners in the 6th and 10th minute taking immediate lead of 2-0 in the game. Assam Hockey’s Sontosh Gour gave the third goal to his team in the 17th minute through a field work taking the lead to 3-0. Without wasting much time, Hockey Rajasthan retaliated in the very next minute and scored the opening goal through Shoyab Alam in the 18th minute followed by another beautiful field goal by Kripal Singh in the 20th minute. Hockey Rajasthan started mounting pressure to equalise scores 3-3 through Naresh Yogi scoring in 25th minute. With game on, Hockey Rajasthan took the lead to 4-3, as Kripal Singh scored another field goal in the 27th minute. Entering in the second session of the game, Assam Hockey scored an equaliser in 37th minute through the stick of Harvir Singh. To end the game on a high note, Assam Hockey scored two field goals penetrated by Pankaj Basumatari and Arjun Bhagat in the 46th and 61st minute respectively declaring a win for Assam Hockey over Hockey Rajasthan 6-4.

The third game of the day witnessed Hockey Andhra Pradesh who eked out a win against Kerala Hockey 3-1. Making up for the previous loss against Bengal Hockey Association, Hockey Andhra Pradesh gave a tough competition to the opponents today making it clear they were aiming for a win. Hockey Andhra Pradesh earned a penalty corner in the 11th minute which was beautifully converted by Anand Sunkara. Kamal Rajaprabhakar surged ahead in the 19th minute and scored a field goal to double the lead for Hockey Andhra Pradesh to 2-0. Just before halftime, in the 32nd minute it was Lokesh Kona who pumped a field goal in favour of Hockey Andhra Pradesh taking the score to 3-0. After a barren first half for Kerala Hockey, Rahul R opened its his team’s scorecard with a lone goal in the 60th minute. Unable to score further goals to their account, the game ended in favour of Assam Hockey who took over Kerala Hockey 3-1.

In another Pool C clash between Hockey Jammu and Kashmir and Hockey Madhya Pradesh, the latter lost the match against the former by 2-7. Although the lead was taken by Hockey Madhya Pradesh in the 9th min through Ashrafulla Khan but they were unable to control the opponents thereafter. The rest of match was dominated by Hockey Jammu & Kashmir. It was Karanjit Singh who converted two penalty corners in the 16th and the 26th minute of the game taking the score to 2-1. Thereafter Harsh Vaid and Ishtiaq Hussain of Hockey Jammu and Kashmir notched a field goal in the 34th and 38th minute respectively. With 4-1 on the board, it was Ramandeep Singh’s efforts through which allowed his team to take the lead to 5-1. Hockey Jammu and Kashmir’s added two more goals coming from the stick of Ishtiaq Hussain as he sneaked in two field goals in the 44th and 63rd minute. In its bid to get back into the game, Hockey Madhya Pradesh earned a penalty stroke which was converted by Vikas Kumar in the 68thminute but all their efforts went in vain as the game ended with Hockey Jammu and Kashmir’s winning 7-2.

In a Pool A match, Vidarbha Hockey Association sealed its third win against Goans Hockey 4-1. While Vidarbha Hockey Association made a comfortable start to the game, Goans Hockey team was not able to score any goal in the first session. Aamid Khan scored a field goal for his team as early as in the 13thminute followed by another field goal by Shadab Khan in the 33rd minute. The scores stood 2-0 in favour of Vidarbha Hockey Association by the end of the first session. In the second half, Vidarbha Hockey Association continued to score as Rahul Kalakoti and Piyush Gour converted field goals in the 43rd and 58th minute respectively. Just two minutes left for the final whistle to blow, Goans Hockey stood successful in converting a penalty corner in the 68th minute through Pandurangshakhalkar and took the scores to 1-4. The scoreline was in favour of Vidarbha Hockey Association who made a convincing win over Goans Hockey 4-1.

The last match of the day saw an exciting clash between Dadra and Nagar Haveli Hockey Association who emerged as the victors against Tripura Hockey 11-1. Dadra and Nagar Haveli Hockey Association started their scoring in the 12th minute through Sanjay Yadav who scored four goals for his team.

Without wasting much time, Gurbinder Singh stroked a field goal in the 14th minute to double the lead 2-0. It was Tripura’s Mod Taric scored a maiden goal for his team in the 21st minute to take the scores 2-1. Sanjay Yadav scored three more goals for Dadra and Nagar Haveli Hockey Association in the 29th, 44th and 57thminute. Gurbinder Singh supported with five more goals in the 14th, 52nd, 59th, 60th and 69th minute of the match. Rahul Singh and Nilesh Goud of Dadra and Nagar Haveli Hockey Association contributed one goal each in 56th and 63rd minute of the match respectively. The final score of the game saw Dadra and Nagar Haveli Hockey Association thrashing Tripura Hockey by 11-1.

Results of the Day-
Pool D – Hockey Gangpur-Odisha 7 Rasananda Khalkho (10min-FG, 32 min-FG), Sanjay Xalxo (17min- FG , 34min-FG,53min-FG and 60 min- PC), Pratap Lakra (29min- PC) vs Hockey Bihar 1 Sukhram Mundu (8min- FG)
Pool D – Assam Hockey 6 Harvir Singh (6min- PC, 10min- PC, and 37min- PC), Sontosh Gour (17min-FG), Pankaj Basumatari (46 min- FG), Arjun Bhagat (61 min- FG) vs Hockey Rajasthan 4 Shoyab Alam (18min- FG), Kripal Singh (20 min- FG and 27min- FG), Naresh Yogi (25min- FG)
Pool C – Hockey Andhra Pradesh 3 Anand Sunkara (11min- PC), Kamal Rajaprabhakar (19 min- FG), Lokesh Kona (32 min- FG) vs Kerala Hockey 1 Rahul R. (50 min- FG)
Pool C – Hockey Jammu and Kashmir 7 Karanjit Singh (16 min- PC, 26min- PC), Harsh Vaid (34min- FG), Ishtiaq Hussain (38min- FG, 44 min-FG and 63min- FG), Ramandeep Singh (43min- FG) vs Hockey Madhya Pradesh 2 Ashrafulla Khan (9min- FG), Vikas Kumar (68min- PS)
Pool A – Vidarbha Hockey Association 4 Aamid Khan (13min- FG), Shadab Khan (33rd min- FG), Rahul Kalakoti (43 min- FG), Piyush Gour (58min- FG) vs Goans Hockey 1 Pandurangshakhalkar (68 min- PC)
Pool B – Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association 11 Sanjay Yadav (12min- FG, 29min- FG, 44 min- FG, and 57min- FG), Gurbinder Singh (14 min- FG, 52 min- PC, 59 min- FG, 62 min- FG and 69 min- PC), Rahul Singh (56min- FG), Nilesh Goud (63min- FG) vs Tripura Hockey 1 Mohd Taric (21 min- PC)

Mysore Jr Nationals: Day IV: Intense contest brewing up

Mysore (Karnataka), 4 April 2015: The 5th edition of Hockey India Junior Men National Hockey Championship 2015 being played at Mysore, Karnataka saw another day of nail biting matches as each team strived to out beat their opponent for the day and register a win in their names.

Taking on Kerala Hockey, Bengal Hockey Association took a easy win as they beat the former 6 -1.The second match for the day between Hockey Gangpur Odisha and Hockey Rajasthan was a cake walk for the former as they score 21 goals and not allowing the opponents to score a single goal and winning the game 21-0. The third game saw the clash between Hockey Bihar and Assam Hockey as the former beat the latter 10-2. It was Hockey Uttarakhand who successfully beat Goans Hockey 12-3 in the fourth game of the day. in a keenly contested game between Chandigarh Olympic Association and Hockey Patiala it was the former which successfully kept its nerves to win the game 3-2. In the last match for the day it was Hockey Gujrat who won the match against Tripura Hockey and winning the match 4-3.

Bengal Hockey Association started the game by immediately attacking and penetrating the D of Kerala Hockey. They scored as early as the 4th minute as Raushan Kumar cleanly scored a field goal and ensuring that the ball found the nets. Kerala Hockey counter attacked but were unable to capitalise on the opportunities. Bengal Hockey Association doubled its lead in the 26th minute when a penalty corner opportunity was slapped hard by Debasis Das ensuring that he beat the goalkeeper and scored for the team. Come 28th minute the team yet again scored as Biren Kumar Lakra scored through a field goal. The score at the end of first half stood at 3-0 with Kerala Hockey trailing. The second half was intense both teams looked at scoring on the opportunities that they created but were unable to do so. It was finally in the 60th minute that the match saw its fourth goal of the game as Bengal Hockey Association’s Nitish Neupane scored a beautiful field goal taking the score to 4-0. The team added two more goals in the 62nd and 63rd minute with Raushan Kumar scoring on both occasions. With 6-0 on the scoreboard and the game almost coming to an end, Kerala Hockey managed to break through the shackles of Bengal Hockey Association to register their lone goal in the 64th minute and allowing Bengal Hockey Association take the win 6-1.

Making their intention clear from the very first minute Hockey Gangpur Odisha scored their first goal in the very 1st minute as Sushil Ekka beautifully penetrated the D and scored a field goal leaving Rajasthan Hockey stunned. They double the lead in the 2nd minute as Rasananda Khalkho scored a brilliant field goal. Come 10th minute and Rasananda Khakho scored his second goal and third for his team as a brilliant pass to him in the D was slapped past the goalkeeper, taking the score to 3-0. The team added another five goals before the end of first half and the score read 8-0. The second half was not different story for Hockey Gangpur Odisha as they continued their onslaught on the opponents. Immediately into the second session they scored in the 36th minute as Sushil Ekka outwitted the goalkeeper to score a field goal. The team scored their 10th goal in the 39th minute as Sanjay Xalxo scored and 41st and 44nd minute two more added to the team’s tally with Pratap Lakra and Sanjay Xalxo scoring. With 13-0 on the scoreboard the team added 8 more goals before winning the game 21-0 and leaving Hockey Rajasthan dented.

The third game of the day was anther exciting clash as the spectators witnessed Hockey Bihar outclassing Assam Hockey and beating them 10-2. Ten minutes into the game Hockey Bihar managed a penalty corner in their name and which was successfully converted by Vinit Ekka. Hockey Bihar saw Vinit Ekka adding two more goals to their sc21ore tally as he went on to score in the 14th and 17th minute and taking the score to 3-0 with Assam Hockey trailing. The team saw another goal getting added to their name as Nitesh Kumar scored in the 19th minute through a field goal. Trailing by four goals, Assam Hockey struck in the 25th minute as a field goal by Arjun Bhagat took the score card to 4-1 in the favour of Hockey Bihar. Within two minute Hockey Bihar struck back and added another goal as Pandeya Mumda did not mistake in finding the nets in the 27th minute. At the end of second half Hockey Bihar was leading 5-1. The second half saw Hockey Bihar adding five more goals in the 41st, 51st, 55th and 56th minute. With the score at 9-1, Assam Hockey scored their second goal in the 61stminute as Pankaj Basumatari scored through a field goal. just a minute left for the game to end, Hockey Bihar scored their 10th goal as Sameer Minz found the nets for his team.

The fourth game for the day saw Hockey Uttarakhand beating Goans Hockey 12-3. The first half of the match was completely dominated by Hockey Uttarakhand as they scored six goals in the first session. They started their goal scoring spree in the very 2nd minute as Shurabh Patwal scored a field goal and giving his team the early lead. This was followed by Siddharth Miyan adding the second goal in the 6th minute as he converted the penalty corner. Shurabh Patwal scored another goal for his team in the 16th minute which was closely followed by Captain Manoj Tamta scoring tow back to back goals in the 18thand 25th minute and taking the score to 5-0. Just before the end of first half Hockey Uttarakhand scored its 6th goal as Amit Rawat ensured that the penalty corner was not wasted. The second half was again in the name of Hockey Uttarakhand as they added six more goals in the session. Siddharth Miyan scored the 7th goal in the 41st minute followed by Captain Manoj Tamta scoring two more back to back goals in the 43rd and 52nd minute taking his teak to a score of 8-0. Goans Hockey finally struck in the as Ayyaz Khan scored two consecutive goals in the 55th and 59th minute. Adding their third goal in the 67thminute, as Prasad Toraskar scored for Goans Hockey and the score card read 10-3 in favour of Hockey Uttarakhand. Just minutes left into the game to end Hockey Uttarakhand added two more goals in the 68th and 69th minute and ending the game with 21-3 on the board.

The match between Chandigarh Olympic Association and Hockey Patiala proved to be a close game as Chandigarh Olympic Association went on to wins 3-2. The first half was intense as both side attacked and created scoring opportunities. It was Chandigarh Olympic Association who tasted first blood in the 22nd minute as Raj Kumar scored through a field goal. Within two minute Hockey Patiala struck as they evened the score 1-1 in the 24th minute through Jaswinder Singh’s brilliant field goal. With no further goals added the end of first half had both teams tied at 1-1. The second half was anyone’s game as each strived to outwit and score. Hockey Patiala finally took the lead in the 52nd minute with Captain Randeep Singh converting the all important penalty corner. Not wanting the game to slip from their hands Chandigarh Olympic Association equalised in the 57th minute as Varinder Singh slapped the ball past the goal keeper and scored. With the game again ties at 2-2 it was anyone game from here. Keeping their nerves and determination to win Chandigarh Olympic Association took the lead in the 61st minute as Harikrat Singh scored a field goal and this helped them win the match.

The last match of the day started with Tripura Hockey scoring the first goal in the 7th minute coming from the stick if Mohd Taric. Though the delight of the lead was short lived as Hockey Gujarat equalised in the 16th minute through a field goal by Akash Shelar. This was followed by Akash Shelar helping his team take the team lead in the game though another field goal in the 19th minute. Realising that they were losing hold in the game and they scored two quick goals in the 25th and 30th minute as Ravinder Basant and Mukeh Singh scored through field goals. With scores at 3-2 Tripura hockey was leading the game at the end of first half. In its bid to come back in the game Gujarat Hockey played a very attacking game and added two goals in their tally in the 49th and 52nd minute and taking the game 4-3.

Results of the Day

Pool C – Bengal Hockey Association 6 Raushan Kumar (4min-FG, 62 min-PC, 63 min-FG), Debasis Das (26min- PC), Biren Ku. Lakra (28min- FG), Nitesh Neupane (60 min-FG) vs Kerala Hockey 1 Sarang D (64min- FG)

Pool D – Hockey Gangpur Odisha 21 Sushil Ekka (1min- FG, 31min- PC, 36min- FG), Rasananda Khalokho(2min-FG, 10min-FG, 42min-FG), Sanjay Xalxo (18 min- FG, 39 min-FG, 44min-FG), Dillip Lakra (27 min- PS, 57 min-PC), Sudeep Kerketta (33min –FG), Andand Ekka (34min-FG, 65min-FG), Pratap Lakra (41min-PC), Abhishek Lakra (47 min-PC), Sibren Lakra (54 min-FG, 63 min-FG, 70+ min-PC) , Gregory Xess (59 min-FG), Binit Ekka (68 min-FG) vs Hockey Rajasthan 0

Pool D – Hockey Bihar 10 Vinit Ekka (11min- PC, 14 min-FG, 17 min-PC 41 min-PC), Nitesh Kumar (19 min- FG), Pandeya Munda (27 min- FG), Ravi Kumar (51 min-FG), Sukhram Mundu (55 min-FG, 56 min-FG), Sameer Minz (69 min-FG) vs Assam Hockey 1 Arun Bhagat (27 min- FG), Pankaj Basumatari (61 min-FG)

Pool A – Hockey Uttarakhand 12 Manoj Tamta (18 min- PC, 25min- PC, 43 min-FG, 52 min-FG, 69 min-PC), Shurabh Patwal (2min- FG, 16 min-FG), Siddharth Miyan (6min- PC, 41 min-FG and 54min- FG), Amit Rawat (31 min- PC), Vinay Kishor (68 min-PC) vs Goans Hockey 3 Ayyaz Khan (55min- FG, 59 min-PC), Prasad Toraskar (67min- PC)

Pool D – Chandigarh Olympic Association 3 Raj Kumar (22 min-FG), Varinder Singh (57 min-FG), Harikrat Singh (61 min-FG) vs Hockey Patiala 2 Jaswinder Singh (24 min-FG), Randeep Singh (52 min-PC)

Pool B – Hockey Gujarat 4 Akash Shelar (16 min-FG, 19 min-FG, 49 min-FG), Amal Mathew (52 min-FG) vs Tripura Hockey 3Mohd Taric (7 min-PC), Ravinder Basant (25 min-FG), Mukeh Singh (30 min-FG)

M Jr Nationals: Delhi, Patila triumph

Mysore (Karnataka), 7 April 2015: The 5th edition of the Hockey India Junior Men National Hockey Championship 2015 being played at Mysore, Karnataka saw clashes between teams as each one vied for a win. The first match for the day witnessed The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. taking on Hockey Uttarakhand as the former dominated the entire match to beat the opponent 3-1. In another match between Delhi Hockey against Hockey Gujarat spectators got to see an exhilarating game of hockey as Delhi Hockey completed dominated the match, beating the opponents 15-3. It was the match between Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association and Hockey Puducherry which kept the spectators on the edge awaiting the outcome and was won by Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association 5-3. The last match for the day was a one sided affair as Hockey Patiala drubbed the opponents and won the match 12-3.

The day started with The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. meeting Hockey Uttarakhand. The first half was saw both teams penetrating the semi-circle and trying to cash on the half chances. The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. found the nets in the 12th minute as Harbhay Singh penetrating the D, cleanly beat the goalkeeper and slammed the ball at the goal. This left the opponents stunned and the score opened 1-0 in the favour of The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. unable to add any further goals to the scoreboard the first half ended 1-0. The second half saw the tempo going up as while The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. tried to double the lead, Hockey Uttarakhand tried to equalise. Finally The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. doubled the lead in the 44th minute when a penalty corner was struck hard past the goalkeeper by Vinay Valmiki. They added another goal in the 55th minute and sealing the fate for Hockey Uttarakhand. With 8 minutes left in the match Hockey Uttarakhand scored their sole goal as Joni Prasad converted a penalty corner opportunity. This allowed The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. take a 3-1 win over Hockey Uttarakhand.

The match between Delhi Hockey and Hockey Gujrat proved to a fast paced game as Delhi Hockey were in a goal scoring spree and went on to win the match 15-3. The first half was completely dominated by Delhi Hockey as they scored nine back to nack goals not giving Gujrat Hockey any chance to counter attack or score. The first goal came as early as the 2nd minute as Arun Kumar post getting a pass at D deflected the pass successfully into the nets. The very next minute Rahul helped double the lead through a field goal and Arun Kumar added the third one to the tally in the 5th minute. Rahul added another one in the 18th minute and between the two took the score to 4-0. 25th minute and Nitin Kumar for Delhi Hockey scored 3 back to back goals for the team in the 25th, 27th and 31st minute completely leaving the opponents dented. Just minutes left into the first half Nabeel Mohd scored the 9th goal for Delhi Hockey and leaving Gujrat Hockey with bleak chances to come back into the game. The second half continued with the same story of dominance by Delhi Hockey as they added 6 more goals an taking the goal tally to 15. It was Arun Kumar again who scored three thrice in the 42nd. 48th and 49th minute giving his team a strong hold on the match. Gujrat Hockey in their bid to comeback managed to score three goals in the second session and which came in the 38th, 52nd and 61st minute. At the end of the game with scores at 15-3, Delhi Hockey managed an easy win over the opponents.

Continuing their journey in the tournament Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association met Hockey Puducherry in an exciting clash as both teams kept the pressure on each other. While the first session of the game was a one sided affair with Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association easily converting two goals in the 5th and 18th minute it was the second session which got the spectators on the edge of their seats. Right into the second half, Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association scored their third goal in the 38th minute. Trailing the game 3-0, Hockey Puducherry finally drew blood in the 42nd minute with V Veera Thamizhan’s beautifully converted field goal. with 3-1 on board Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association added one more to the goal tally in the 56th minute as Rahul Singh scored a field goal. undeterred by the goal Hockey Puducherry scored the very next minute as P Mahendran scored through a penalty corner opportunity. With scores at 4-2, Hockey Puducherry saw chances of equalising the game and they struck again in the 61st minute and took the score to 4-3. From here both teams increased the tempo of the attack as each one looked to add one more goal to their tally. It was Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association who kept its nerves and scored the winning goal in the 66th minute and sealing the fate for the opponents.

The last match for the day was a one sided affair as Hockey Patiala drubbed the opponents and won the match 12-3. It was Assam Hockey who started the match with the opening goal as early as the 8th minute when Arjun Bhagat scored a field goal. But they were unable to keep a hold on their lead as in the 14th minute Hockey Patiala bounced back with the equaliser goal coming from the stick of Ramandeep Singh. Hockey Patiala high with their equaliser goal scored two more goals in the same session in the 26th and 29th minute and the scores were 3-1 at the end of first half. Second half was a session of rampage by Hockey Patiala as they scored 8 goals before they won the match. They started the session by scoring two quick goals in the 42nd and 47th minute which was because of quick work by Jaswinder Singh and Manveer Singh in the D. Assam Hockey in a bid to come back in the game scored their second goal in the 51st minute but were soon overtaken by Hockey Patiala as they scored in the 53rd minute, taking the score to 6-2. Assam Hockey again added another goal in the 56th minute but post that Hockey Patiala’s 6 back to back goals sealed the game in their favour and scorecard was 12-3 at the final whistle.

Results of the Day

Pool A – The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd. 3 Harbhay Singh (12min-FG), Vinay Valmiki (44min- PC), Reyaz Qureshi (55min- PC) vs Hockey Uttarakhand 1 Joni Prasad (62min- PC)

Pool A – Vidarbha Hockey Association vs Hockey Andaman Nicobar (DID NOT TURN UP)

Pool B – Delhi Hockey 15 Arun Kumar (2min- FG, 5 min-PC, 42 min-PS 48 min-FG, 49 min-FG), Nitin Kumar (25 min- FG, 27 min-FG, 31 min-FG, 39 min-FG), Nabeel Mohd (20 min- FG, 32 min-FG,), Rahul (3 min-FG, 18 min-FG, ), Praveen Munda (57 min-FG, 64 min-FG) vs Hockey Gujrat 3 Muraree Rajut (38 min-FG), Peter Thomas (52 min-PC), Shubham Yadav (61 min-FG)

Pool B – Dadra & Nagar Haveli Hockey Association 5 Nilesh Kathoute (5 min- FG), Rahul Singh (18min- FG, 56 min-FG), Gurbinder Singh (38min- FG), Sanjay Yadav (66 min- PC), vs Hockey Puducherry 3 V Veera Thamizan (42 min-FG), P Mahendran (57 min-PC), S Muthukrishnan (61 min-FG)

Pool D – Hockey Patiala 12 Ramandeep Singh (14 min-PC, 53 min-PC), Jagpreet Singh (26 min-PC, 61 min-FG), Jaswinder Singh (29 min-PC, 42 min-FG), Manveer Singh (47 min-FG), Parampreet Singh (59 min-FG, 63 min-PS), Gurjeet Singh (64 min-FG, 67 min-FG), Manpreet Singh (69 min-FG) vs Assam Hockey 3 Arjun Bhagat (8 min-FG, 56 min-FG), Harvir Singh (51 min-PC)

Jr Men’s Championship: Odisha, Bengal triumph

Mysore (Karnataka), 11 April 2015: The 5th edition of the Hockey India Junior Men National Hockey Championship 2015 will see Hockey Gangpur – Odisha and Bengal Hockey Association in the Final match as Gangpur beat Mumbai by 3-1 and Bengal defeated Puducherry by 5-3 in the Semi-Final matches today.

In the first Semi-Final of the day, Hockey Gangpur – Odisha displayed brilliant hockey against Mumbai Hockey Association. It was Mumbai who scored the first goal when they earned a penalty corner in the 23rd minute and Vinay Valmiki perfectly converted it into early lead. After conceding the early jolt, Gangpur came back fiercely on the field and soon they managed to earn a penalty corner in 39th minute, which effectively converted by Pratap Lakra in the much needed equaliser. With the motivating 1-1 leveller, Gangpur charged with full force and Sanjay Xalco scored the second goal in the 46th minute of the match to take the score-line to 2-1. His team-mate Sibren Lakra extended the lead in the 69th minute with a marvellous goal and helped his team to win the match by 3-1.

In the second Semi-Final, Raushan Kumar’s hat-trick helped Bengal Hockey Association to defeat Hockey Puducherry by 5-3. Bengal opened the account in the very first minute of the match when they earned the first penalty corner of the match and Nitish Neupane converted it perfectly into the first goal of the match. However in the 9th minute, Puducherry came back in the game when Thiru Murugan stormed into opponent’s den and smashed the ball hard into the goal box to score the equaliser. In the 12th minute, Bengal earner another penalty corner and this time Gurpreet Singh converted it effectively in much-needed 2-1 lead. With this goal, Bengal players started playing aggressively and their star player Raushan scored two consecutive goals in 28th and 50th minutes. Trailing by 1-4, Puducherry kept trying to level the score and Thiru scored again in the 53rd minute to take the score-card to 2-4. However in the next minute (54th minutes), Roushan stroke back again and scored the fifth goal for this team after hitting the ball hard into the nets. In the 64th minutes, Puducherry managed to get success for the last time when Veera Thamizhan scored the third goal for the team. By the end of the match, Bengal registered an impressive victory over Puducherry, beating them by 5-3.

Jr Men’s National: Punjab thumbs Maharastra 15-0

Mysore (Karnataka), 15 April 2015: The second day of the 5th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2015 (A Division), Mysore, Karnataka was an exciting day where the teams showcased their brilliant hockey skills.

Hockey Punjab registered their second consecutive win in the tournament by defeating Hockey Maharashtra with a huge goal margin of 15-0. The second match went in favour of Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy where they beat Services Sports Control Board 7-4. In Pool B, Hockey Odisha beat Hockey Karnataka by 3-0 in where as Manipur Hockey edged past Hockey Bhopal by 5-2.

Hockey Punjab, with a win in their kitty, notched up their second successive win as they overcame Hockey Maharashtra by a huge margin 15-0 in a one-sided match. The entire match rained goals for Hockey Punjab all of which came through field effort. Initial lead was taken by Hockey Punjab in the early five minutes of the game through Ajmer Singh. Baljinder Singh contributed three goals to his team in the 13th, 30th and 57th minute. Ajit Pandit was the star performer as he pounded the goal post in the 24th, 40th, 55th, 61st and 64th minute and scored a total of five goals in favour of Hockey Punjab. Harjeet Singh and Shamsher Singh netted a brace in the 27th, 51st minute and 37th and 38th minute respectively going on to strengthen the team’s position further. Confidently taking the lead ahead, Ajmer Singh and Sukhjeet Singh shared a goal between them in the 46th and 60th minute correspondingly. As Hockey Maharashtra did not get any chance to score in the entire match, Hockey Punjab bagged its second consecutive win by thrashing Hockey Maharashtra 15-0.

In another Pool A match, Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy defeated Services Sports Control Board 7-4 to mark its first win on the second day of the tournament. Within a span of two minutes Abhay Yadav scored the opening goal of the match which was immediately followed by an equalizer from Services Sports Control Board’s Harpreet Singh who levelled the scores at 1-1. It was Ravi Panche who successfully converted a penalty corner in the 25th minute taking the scores to 2-1. But their lead was short-lived as Services Sports Control Board again scored a leveller in the 27th minute through a field effort from Mohd Alishan. Madhya Pradesh Hockey added one more to the tally before the end of first half and taking the lead with 3-2 on board. Second half Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy scored two more goals in the 42nd and 63rdminute coming from the stick of Ameen Khan and Mohd Nizamuddin respectively taking the team to a very strong position. Services Sports Control Board managed to reduce the margin to 3-5 as Laxman Lakra stroke a brilliant field goal in the 66th minute. Just three minutes into the game to end, Mohd Nizamuddin continued to push forward the score line and scored two goals in the 67th and 69th minute, respectively and sealing the fate of the opponents. Services Sports Control Board hit back and got one more goal in the 68th minute through Harpreet Singh but Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy stood strong enough and carved out a convincing 7-4 win against Services Sports Control Board.

In the Pool B match, Hockey Odisha secured the win over Hockey Karnataka by 3-0 and registered a victory. Odisha dominated in the most of the match and outplayed their opponents in every aspect of the game. After playing an attacking game, Odisha’s earned a penalty shoot-out in the 12th minute, which was perfectly converted by Sanjit Toppo to open the account for his team. After conceding the goal, Hockey Karnataka came back strongly and counter attacked many times, but Odisha defenders thwarted their every chance. In the 43rd minute, Odisha’s Sumit Toppo dribbled-past opponent’s defenders and sent the ball into the net to increase the lead by 2-0. In the 66th minute, Nitin Mukesh Tigga scored the third goal of the match and sealed a 3-0 victory over Karnataka.

In another Pool B match, Manipur Hockey carved out an excellent win as they beat Hockey Bhopal 5-2. Manipur struck first in the 8th minute when Dayananda Chanamthabam scored through a penalty corner. This was followed by the team adding two more consecutive goals in the 15th and 18th minute leaving the opponents wounded. Wit 3-0 on board Manipur Hockey started the second session with great speed but Hockey Bhopal finally opened their account in the 37th minute as Amit Rathee ensured to convert the penalty corner opportunity. In their bid to reduce the margin further Hockey Bhopal struck again in the 41st minute when Abhay Kumar’s field goal took the score to 2-3. Realising that they might lose the hold on the game Hockey Manipur bounced back and scored two consecutive goals in the 62nd and 70th minute and registering their win against the opponents.

Results of the day-

Pool A Hockey Punjab 15 Ajmer Singh (4min- FG, 46min- FG), Baljinder Singh (13min- FG, 30min- FG, 57min- FG), Ajit Pandit (24min- FG, 40min-FG, 55min-FG, 61min-FG, 64min- FG), Harjeet Singh (27min-FG, 51min- FG), Shamsher Singh (37min- FG, 38min- FG), Sukhjeet Singh (60min- FG) vs Hockey Maharasthra 0

Pool A Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy 7 Abhay Yadav (2min-FG), RAVI PANCHE (25min- PC), Modh Nizamuddin (28min- FG, 63min- FG, 67min-FG, 69min- FG), Ameen Khan (42min- FG) vs Services Sports Control Board 4 Harpreet Singh (3min- FG), Mohd Nadeem (27min- FG), Laxman Lakra (66min- FG), Harpreet Singh (68min- FG)

Pool B Hockey Odisha 3 Sanjit Toppo (14min-PS), Sumit Toppo (43min-FG), Nitin Mukesh Tigga (66min-FG) vs Hockey Karnataka 0

Pool B Manipur Hockey 5 Dayananda Chanamthabam (8min-PC, 15min-PC, 37min-PC), Ibungo Konjengbam (13min-FG), Kingson Thokchom (62min-FG), Mani Huidrom (70min-FG) vs Hockey Karnataka 2 M D Raheel (44min-FG), Abharan Sudev (53min-FG)

Jr Champ’ship: Haryana, Steel Board triumph

Mysore (Karnataka), 18 April 2015: The 5th Junior National Hockey Championship 2015 (Men) ‘’A’’ division today witnessed two matches as Hockey Haryana trounced Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu by 7-0 and in the second match Steel Plant Sports Board took a convincing win over Uttar Pradesh Hockey of 2-0.

Hockey Haryana playing against Hockey Unit if Tamil Nadu made their intentions clear from the word go. They scored as early as the 4th minute as Sahil Dabas in a field effort edged the ball past the goalkeeper and giving his team the lead in the game 1-0. Hockey Haryana continued its dominance as in the 18th minute the score was doubled in their favour as Somjeet added another to the tally. While Hockey Unit if Tamil Nadu tried to keep the opponents at bay Hockey Haryana added two more goals before the end of first half and was leading the game 4-0. The second half yielded the same story as Hockey Haryana scored their fifth goal in the 40th minute Sanjay converted through the penalty corner opportunity. Already on a high with their 5 goal lead, Hockey Haryana scored two more goals in the 48th and 68th minute as they went on to win the match 7-0.

The second match between Steel Plant Sports Board and Uttar Pradesh Hockey was a one sided affair as Steel Plant Sports Board maintained their attack on the opponents to score two goals and win the match. The match was an intense clash as both teams put pressure on each other but it was Steel Plant Sports Board who scored the first goal in the very 6th minute as Santosh Baxla slammed the ball into the nets and ensuring that the penalty corner did not go a waste. Post the initial goal both teams failed to add any more goal to the scoreboard and leaving the first half scores at 1-0. Second half again was the same story as both teams looked to cash in on the opportunities. Again it was Steel Plant Sports Board who scored and doubled the lead as Santosh Baxla again scored on the penalty corner. This proved to be the winning goal for the team as they beat Uttar Pradesh Hockey 2-0.

Results of the day-

Pool C Hockey Haryana 7 Sahil Dabas (4 min-FG, 29min-FG), Dharmender (18 min-FG), Sanjay (27 min-PC, 40 min-PC), Rajant (48 min-FG), Ravi Chaudhary (68 min-FG) vs Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 0

Pool C Steel Plant Sports Board 2 Santosh Baxla (6min- PC, 37 min-PC) vs Uttar Pradesh Hockey 0

Jr Men’s (Div A): Haryana, UP, SAI, HP enters semi

Mysore (Karnataka), 19 April 2015: Before entering the semi-final stage of the Hockey India 5th Junior National Hockey Championship 2015 (Men) –Division A, the top eight teams registered wins in their respective matches in Mysore, Karnataka today.

The day started with a win for Hockey Haryana who drubbed Steel Plant Sports Board 4-3, followed by Uttar Pradesh Hockey who edged-past Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu with a score 4-0. Third encounter proved to be a thrilling match where Sports Authority of India defeated Chhattisgarh Hockey by 6-2. Ending the day on a winning note, Hockey Himachal beat Hockey Jharkhand with a score of 1-0.

The first match of the day between Hockey Haryana and Steel Plant Sports Board turned out to be a tough battle for the both teams, which concluded with a close 4-3 win for Hockey Haryana. Both the teams were seen striving to score the first goal in the first few minutes of the game. However, it was Rajant from Hockey Haryana who initiated the chain of goals when he smashed a penalty corner and a field goal one after the other in the 26th and 27th minute of the game respectively. The game seemed to be dominated by Hockey Haryana before Janima Majhi from Steel Plant Sports Board opened the account for the team in the 34th minute assuring a goal for the team by the end of the first half which led to a score of 2-1. It was then an even more exciting hockey show on the ground when Hockey Haryana confirmed a tough game for the opponents by striking another field goal coming from Santa Singh in the 45th minute of the game. The second half witnessed excellent shots coming from the sticks of both teams trying to get better of each other. It was in the 50th minute that Santosh Baxla from Steel Plant Sports Board converted a penalty corner giving a support to the team which was followed by another penalty corner in the 56th minute by Anand Kumar Kujur from the same team. The star of the game was Rajant who ended the war of goals with another field goal in the 65th minute and led the team towards a remarkable victory 4-3.

The second clash of the day was a one sided game dominated by Uttar Pradesh Hockey who pulled down Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu with a score 4-0. Uttar Pradesh showcased a good start by converting the first penalty corner in the 3rd minute of the game which was successfully done by Govind Singh Rawat. However the remaining first half of the game was a struggle for both the teams, especially Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu which could not win a goal despite continuous efforts. This led the first half of the game to end in favour of Hockey Uttar Pradesh with a score 1-0. It was in the 42nd minute that Rahul Kumar Rajbhar brought back the excitement in the game by scoring a field goal for Uttar Pradesh Hockey. It was then the same team which continued to turn their efforts into desired results with one goal after another, the third one coming from Praveen Soni who shot a field goal in the 62nd minute driving the team to a win-win situation. The game ended with a another winning field goal for Hockey Uttar Pradesh coming from Suvarn Khandkar in the 68th minute which drove the team towards an easy win.

Continuing the day with one more win, Sports Authority of India defeated Chhattisgarh Hockey 6-2. Both the teams made constant efforts to pierce the defence of the other in search of an initial opening and it was Sports Authority of India who took the lead in the 16th minute through Dharmendra Yadav. Taking the lead to 2-0, Mohd Faiaz Sarwar scored the second goal in the 22nd minute in favour of Sports Authority of India. Chhattisgarh Hockey showcased brilliant on-field skills and broke the shackles in the 26thminute through the stick of Pramod Harpal and reduced the margin to 2-1. Just before going into the break, Sports Authority of India scored the third goal for themselves when Mohith Kumar successfully converted a penalty stroke in the 30th minute advancing their scores to 3-1. Chhattisgarh Hockey gained momentum and retaliated through a field goal with the support of Wasiullah Khan in the 39th minute. The next three goals of the match were scored by Sports Authority of India with the support of Mohith Kumar and Dharmendra Yadav in the 41st and 44th minute respectively. This was followed by a last minute goal by the captain Brijendra Singh in the 69th minute. With Chhattisgarh Hockey unable to add any further goals to their account, Sports Authority of India declared a convincing win against Chhattisgarh Hockey 6-2.

The last match of the day was an exciting affair as Hockey Jharkhand went down to Hockey Himachal 0-1. Although the entire first half went goalless for both the teams, they made desperate attempts to find the gaps in order to reach the nets. It was only in the 59thminute that Hockey Himachal took the lead and scored a solitary goal through a remarkable penalty corner conversion by Jugraj Singh. As Hockey Jharkhand failed to open their scorecard, the game concluded in favour of Hockey Himachal who trounced Hockey Jharkhand 1-0.

Results of the day-

Pool C Hockey Haryana 4 Rajant (26min –PC, 27 min –FG, 65min-FG) Santa Singh(45min-FG) vs Steel Plant Sports Board 3Janma Majhi (34min-FG),Santosh Baxla (50min-PC), Anad Kumar Kuljur (56 min-PC)

Pool C Uttar Pradesh Hockey 4 Govind Singh Rawat (3min-PC),Rahul Kumar Rajbhar (42min-FG), Praveen Soni (62min-FG),Suvarn Khandkar (68min-FG) vs Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu 0

Pool D Sports Authority of India 6 Dharmendra Yadav (16min- 16min-FG, 44min- FG), Mohd Faiaz Sarwar (22min- FG), Mohith Kumar (30min-PS, 41min-PC), Brijendra Singh (69min- FG) vs Chhattisgarh Hockey 2 Pramod Harpal (26min- FG), Wasiullah Khan (39min-FG)

Pool D Hockey Himachal 1 Jugraj Singh (59min-PC) vs Hockey Jharkhand 0

Jr Men’s (Div A): Punjab, Odisha book final berth

Mysore (Karnataka), 21 April 2015: Playing for the Finale berth of the 5th Junior National Hockey Championship 2015 (Men) – Division A, the semi finals saw Hockey Punjab taking on Hockey Himachal where the former beat the later in all departments to claim the Finale spot tomorrow. In the second semifinal between Hockey Odisha and Hockey Haryana, it was Hockey Odisha which emerged victorious after a hard fought battle and a score of 3-1 in their favour.

The fans have a reason to rejoice as all semi-final and Finals of the National Championship matches this year will be telecast LIVE on DD Sports.

The first semi-final clash between Hockey Punjab and Hockey Himachal proved good news for Hockey Punjab as they delivered in all departments to advance to the Finals of the 5th Junior National Hockey Championship 2015 (Men) –Division A. Showcasing the intent to win from the word go, Hockey Punjab scored in the third minute of the match as the penalty corner was slammed into the nets by Harmanpreet Singh leaving the opponents stunned. Trying to get back from the early set-back Hockey Himachal tried to score but failed in their attempts as Hockey Punjab’s defence proved strong. The team doubled the lead in the 10th minute when Harmanpreet Singh yet again capitalized on a penalty corner. With a lead of 2-0 at half time, Hockey Punjab started the second half with an edge. They added another dent on Hockey Himachal as they registered their third goal in the 43rd minute when Simranjit Singh’s field effort found the nets. Unable to capitalize on opportunities, Hockey Himachal lost the game and a chance to advance to the Finals.

The second semi-final match between Hockey Odisha and and Hockey Haryana was a complete dry run in the first half as the defence of both the teams were alert, not allowing any single opportunity to be cashed on by the opponents. With the second half being the crucial deciding session, it was Hockey Odisha who finally broke the jinx as they converted the penalty corner in the 53rd minute by Suman Kujur. Taking the goal as a cue, the team scored within two , again through Sumna Kujur converting the penalty corner. Trailing the game 0-2, Hockey Haryana registered their first goal in the 56th minute when Santa Singh charged into the D and deflected the ball into the nets. While Hockey Haryana tried to equalize the game, Hockey Odisha dented their spirits as they scored their third and final goal in the 63rd minute and going on to win the match 3-1.

Results of the day-

Semi-Final 1 Hockey Punjab 2 Harmanpreet Singh (3min –PC, 10 min –PC) Simranjit Singh (43min-FG) vs Hockey Himachal 0

Semi-Final 2 Hockey Odisha 3 Suman Kujur (53 min-PC, 55 min-PC), Prakash Barla (63min-FG) vs Hockey Haryana 1 Santa Singh (56 min-FG)