Sub-Jr Women Hockey National ChampionshipHaryana, Uttar Pradesh notch up big wins to seal semi-final berths

    20-May-2022
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 19 : Haryana thrashed Mizoram 4-1 as Uttar Pradesh crushed Chandigarh 5-0 in the quarter final matches of the 12th Hockey India Sub-Junior Women National Championship here at Hockey Stadium, Khuman Lampak today.
In the first quarter final match of the tournament, Haryana and Mizoram played out a goalless first quarter before Pooja gave Haryana the breakthrough goal in the 23rd minute converting a penalty corner.
Pooja went on to convert another penalty corner in the 36th minute to complete her brace and give Haryana a 2-0 lead till halfway.
Mizoram who had a memorable Pool H campaign struggled to make their way back but lack of finishing touch held them back and to their disappointment, Shashi Khasa (54') and  Riya (56') chipped in a goal apiece to further extend Haryana's lead to 4-0.
Lalpeksangi managed a consolation goal for Mizoram three minutes from time and eventually Haryana walked home 4-1 and sealed a semi-final slot.
Elsewhere in the second quarter final match, UP prevailed 5-0 over Chandigarh to make their way into the semi-final.
Sadly in an unfortunate scene during the match, a team official had to carry an injured player off the field exposing the lack of preparedness for immediate medical support on the part of the organisers. Hockey enthusiasts and spectators, after witnessing the displeasing scene, expressed the need for necessary arrangement of stretcher, first aid kits and others for immediate help to injured players on the field.
Purnima Yadav shone in the match with a double in this one sided encounter. Uttar Pradesh took 32 minutes to go up 1-0 via Suneeta Kumar off a penalty corner after both sides drew blank in the opening two quarters.
Pushpanjali then doubled the advantage in the 35th minute before Purnima Yadav opened her scoring via a penalty corner four minutes later and handed Uttar Pradesh a 3-0 lead till the third quarter.
Vandana Patel then flicked home the team's fourth goal in the 46th minute as Chandigarh girls were kept on their toes and Purnima made the best use of a 56th minute chance to complete her double and the 5-0 rout.
The third quarter final saw Madhya Pradesh edged out Maharashtra 2-1 to book their semi-final berth.
The two sides had a cautious start and settled the first quarter goalless but Madhya Pradesh earned the breakthrough when Tahur Naaz scored a field goal in the 16th minute.
Resolute defending on both ends forced the two sides to settle the third quarter goalless before Sanika Chandrakant Mane drew level for Maharashtra in the 47th minute.
The two sides looked evenly poised as the game wore on but Gungun Kaur broke the deadlock three minutes from time to help Madhya Pradesh seal the deal 2-1.
In the last quarter final match of the tournament staged this evening, Jharkhand knocked Punjab out 5-1 as Nisha Minj and Binima Dhan shone with doubles.
Jharkhand enjoyed a slender 1-0 lead in the opening quarter as Nisha sent home the ball off a penalty corner in the 14th minute and rounded off the second quarter with two goals via Binima Dhan in the 23rd minute off a penalty stroke and Sweety Dungdung (25') to take a 3-0 lead till halfway.
Punjab had a better comeback in the third quarter and pulled back a goal in the 40th minute as Lakhvir Kaur converted a penalty corner but they failed to sustain their momentum and it were Nisha Minj and Binima Dhan who pumped in a goal respectively in the 50th and 60th minutes to help Jharkhand wrap up the game 5-1 and complete the semi-final line up.