Hockey Punjab and Jharkhand Secure Final Spots at Sub Junior Nationals

Hockey Punjab and Hockey Jharkhand triumphed in their semi-final matches, securing spots in the finals of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2025. Punjab edged out Uttar Pradesh 4-3, while Jharkhand overcame Madhya Pradesh 3-1. The final showdown will occur at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium.

Hockey Punjab and Hockey Jharkhand emerged victorious in the semi-finals of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2025 on Wednesday, earning their place in the final showdown. The games were held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, with Uttar Pradesh Hockey and Hockey Madhya Pradesh set to compete for third place on Thursday.

The first semi-final saw Hockey Punjab achieve a narrow 4-3 win over Uttar Pradesh Hockey. Key player Sukhdev Singh scored a late brace, with Mandeep Singh and Varinder Singh netting earlier goals, while Uttar Pradesh's scorers included Harsh Pratap Singh, Ali Shahrukh, and captain Ketan Kushwaha. Meanwhile, in the second semi-final, Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh 3-1. Though Madhya Pradesh led initially with a goal by Love, Jharkhand's resilience prevailed as Soreng Sumray, Ashish Tani Purti, and Jaysan Kandulna each found the back of the net.

The tournament's earlier quarter-finals saw Hockey Punjab secure their semi-final position after defeating the Hockey Association of Odisha 4-3, while Hockey Jharkhand delivered an overwhelming 13-0 victory against Hockey Chandigarh. Notably, Haryana's strong defense couldn't hold as Madhya Pradesh advanced with a 2-1 victory. The thrilling results set the stage for an exciting final clash between Punjab and Jharkhand.

(With inputs from agencies.)