Jr Men National Hockey: Karnataka, Jharkhand, MP win on Day 7
Coimbatore, Aug 3
Hockey teams from Karnataka, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh registered important victories, while Manipur Hockey and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey shared the spoils in a thrilling draw in Division 'A' encounters on the seventh day of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 at the Coimbatore Hockey Ground on Monday.
The day began with Hockey Karnataka securing a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Hockey Bengal. After Suraj Kumar Sah (11') handed Hockey Bengal the lead, Pradip Mandal restored parity with a goal just before halftime (30+'). Nitesh Sharma (38') then put Hockey Karnataka ahead before Pradip Mandal struck again (51'). Achaiah MM (49') also found the scoresheet for Hockey Karnataka. Hockey Bengal fought back late through Rasin Aind (58') and Abed Lugun (60'), but Hockey Karnataka held on to claim all three points.
In another closely contested Division 'A' fixture, Hockey Jharkhand edged Delhi Hockey 4-3. Sabian Kiro gave Hockey Jharkhand an early lead in the 4th minute before Prabhjot Singh (40') levelled the scores for Delhi Hockey. Sabian Kiro completed his brace (47'), while Sujeet Kerketta (48') and Ghuran Lohra (58') extended Hockey Jharkhand's advantage. Delhi Hockey mounted a late comeback through Nishant, who scored twice (52', 60'), but Hockey Jharkhand held firm to seal the victory.
The third match of the day saw Manipur Hockey and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey play out an entertaining 4-4 draw. Ricky Tonjam (33') and Amarjit Singh Ningombam (37') gave Manipur Hockey an early advantage before Yumkham Bidyananda Singh struck twice (47', 52').
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey responded with four goals in the final quarter through Moohamed Jaeed (45'), Sumit Rajbhar (50'), Sami Rizwan (53') and Himanshu Yadav (55') to earn a share of the points.
In the final Division 'A' fixture of the day, Hockey Madhya Pradesh registered a convincing 4-0 victory over Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu. Rajveer Singh starred with a brace (4', 59'), while Navin Ekka (12') and Sohil Ali (27') also found the back of the net to complete a dominant performance.
Results from the remaining Day 6 Division 'A' fixtures:
Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Manipur Hockey 4-1. Lelsan Minz led the scoring with a brace (13', 44'), while Bilkan Oram (25') and Mohan Krishna (41') also scored. Harish Singh Leitanthem (38') netted the lone goal for Manipur Hockey.
Meanwhile, Hockey Haryana and Hockey Madhya Pradesh played out a 2-2 draw. Sunil (C) (15') and Ankush (27') scored for Hockey Haryana, while Aashir Aadil Khan (30') and Sohil Ali (48') found the net for Hockey Madhya Pradesh.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The 4-4 draw between Manipur and Dadra & Nagar Haveli sounds like an absolute thriller! Four goals in the final quarter for the comeback - that's the spirit of hockey. These youngsters are the future of Indian hockey. 🇮🇳
Madhya Pradesh looking strong with two wins and a draw! Rajveer Singh with a brace is impressive. But I have to say, the scheduling seems a bit tight - MP played twice in one day. Hope the organizers are taking player fatigue into consideration. Just a thought.
As a hockey fan from abroad, it's amazing to see the depth of talent in Indian junior hockey. The way Jharkhand held off Delhi's late comeback shows real character. These tournaments are so important for developing future Olympians. Keep it up! 👏
Great to see Odisha winning big against Manipur! Lelsan Minz scoring a brace shows we have serious talent coming through. The future of Indian hockey looks bright with these junior tournaments. 🏑💪
The 2-2 draw between Haryana and MP shows how competitive this tournament is. No easy matches at this level. Proud to see our state's teams performing well. These junior championships are the stepping stones to international glory. Wishing all teams the best!
J We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.