20th Sub-Junior National Girls Hockey Tournament
By TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: Haryana eves stroked out Jharkhand 6-4 in the final to retain the title of the 20th Sub-Junior National Girls Hockey Tournament which concluded at the Tatya Tope Stadium here today.
Haryana girls rallied from behind to play 2-2 draw in the scheduled time and in the tie-breaker they outscored Jharkhand 6-4. In the penalty stroke shoot-out Haryana girls were on target four times while missing only once of the five tries. On the other hand Jharkhand could score only twice as three of their tries were blocked by an acrobatic Haryana goalkeeper Nancy.
In fact it was a repeat final of last year when Haryana had also then stroked out Jharkhand in the tie-breaker to claim the title.
Meanwhile, Orissa defeated Uttar Pradesh by two goals to one in the hardline match to take third place in the tournament. In all teams from 18 states participated in the tourney.
Principal Secretary (Sports) to the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Mrs. Ranjana Choudhary, who was the chief guest, presented the trophies and individual prizes to the winners and runners-up teams. Madhya Pradesh Sports Director Sanjay Choudhary, Joint Director Dr. Vinod Pradhan and International hockey umpire Satinderpal Singh Walia amongst others were present on the occasion.
Haryana girls were 0-2 down by the 17th minute when Jharkhand’s left-out Nikki Pradhan pumped in two field goals to score a brace. Pradhan had put her team 1-0 up just four minutes into the game.
Stung by the reverse Haryana girls pulled up their socks and started their efforts to nullify the damage already done. Ten minutes of relentless probing and goal-bearing moves paid off as Haryana’s Priyanka found the target in the 27th minute of the game to make it 1-2.
With the score-line reading 2-1 in the favour of Jharkhand the two teams trooped out for lemon-break.
After the breather the Haryana girls came in with extra vigour and mounted pressure on the Jharkhand citadel with a series of forays. In between Jharkhand made stray raids but that were repulsed by the Haryana defence line.
Haryana girls, who had only a solitary penalty corner in the first half, forced as many as seven in the second session of which they were able to make good use of only the first while the rest half a dozen proved abortive. In the 39th minute of the match the first penalty corner of the second half and second of the game was converted in an indirect left flick by Anjali on the rebound from the Jharkhand custodian Dayamaniaind to bring her team on par with the rivals (2-2).
Three minutes later Haryana got an opportunity to forge ahead and take crucial lead to wrap up the match. However, it was not to be so. A penalty stroke was awarded to the team, following a serious infringement by Jharkhand girls in the circle during the penalty corner melee, but it proved futile as the ball rebounded from the right post.
Thereafter, Haryana girls made repeated raids earning five more penalty corners but the Jharkhand defence line stood like a rock and did not concede any goal. The match ended in a 2-2 draw at the end of regulation time and thereby the tie-breaker rule was applied.
In the penalty shoot-out captain Ramandeep Kaur, Bhagwant Kaur, Monika and Jyoti Sharma found the target while Sandeep Kaur’s bid was foiled by Jharkhand goalkeeper Dayamaniaind as she shot into her pads. For Jharkhand captain Bilasi Tiru and Sunita Hemrom found the target but Sabnam Lakra, Basanti Kachap and Etwari Mundu’s tries were foiled by Haryana custodian Nancy. Thus, Haryana won the final 6-4 to become champions again. ([email protected])