HOCKEY
Madhya Pradesh stuns defending champion Haryana in semis of Hockey India Sub-junior national women’s c’ship
Madhya Pradesh girls shocked defending champions Haryana 3-2 in a keenly contested quarterfinal, while last year’s runners-up Jharkhand stormed into the semifinals of the 14th Hockey India Sub-junior national women’s championship at RRC Ground in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Haryana opened the scoring as Diksha struck in the 13th minute of the game. However, Madhya Pradesh girls pulled things back as Sallu Pukhrambam struck in the 34th minute to draw parity.
Sixteen minutes later, Rubi Rathore made it 2-1 for Madhya Pradesh by converting a penalty corner. But the Haryana girls levelled the scores in the 58th minute through the stick of Durga.
However, the Madhya Pradesh girls, who have scored a will right through the tournament, were in no mood to give it as they took just a minute to score the winning goal. Rubi converted another penalty corner to dump the champions out of the tournament.
Leoni Hemrom was the architect of the resounding Jharkhand win as she sounded the boards five times. After being kept on the leash for the first two-quarters of the game, the Jharkhand girls went on a rampage in the final two quarters as they posted a 12-0 victory.
The Maharashtra girls were able to hold their own in the first two quarters as they kept the Jharkhand strikers at bay for the most part of the game before half-time. Leoni struck in the opening minute of the game and added another in the 16th minute as Jharkhand went into the break 2-0.
However, things took a dramatic turn thereafter, as Jharkhand scored four and six goals in the next two quarters to complete the rout. Shruti Kumari and Thekia Horo scored a brace each.
Uttar Pradesh, who had finished fourth last year, suffered a 0-1 loss to Mizoram. Skipper Laltlanchhungi sent Mizoram into the last four with a penalty stroke conversion in the 49th minute of the game.
Odisha, who were placed third in the last edition of the tournament, sailed into the semifinals with a comfortable 3-0 win over Delhi. Anjana Xaxa, Lugun Shibani and Sanjna Kujur scored a goal apiece as the Odisha girls brooked no challenge from the Delhi teenagers.
In the semifinals to be played on Thursday, Madhya Pradesh will take on Mizoram, while Jharkhand will clash against Odisha.
-V V Subramanyam
