Odisha clinch 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 title
Coimbatore, Aug 8
Hockey Association of Odisha emerged champions of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 - Division 'A' after defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh 2-1 in an exciting final held in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
The final witnessed an intense battle between two determined sides, with Odisha making a strong start to take an early lead. Mandeep Kerketta opened the scoring in the second minute, giving Odisha an early advantage and putting Madhya Pradesh under pressure.
Hockey Madhya Pradesh fought back strongly and continued to create opportunities, but Odisha's defence remained resilient. The match remained closely contested as both teams battled for control in the midfield and looked to create openings in the attacking circle.
Madhya Pradesh eventually found the equaliser through Sohil Ali in the 37th minute, setting up an exciting final quarter. However, Odisha responded with renewed intensity and regained the lead through their captain, Deepak Pradhan, who found the back of the net in the 45th minute.
With the championship title at stake, Madhya Pradesh pushed forward in search of another equaliser in the closing stages. Odisha, however, held their shape and defended resolutely to preserve their 2-1 advantage until the final hooter. The victory saw Hockey Association of Odisha crowned champions of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026.
In the third-place match, Hockey Punjab produced an impressive attacking display to defeat Hockey Jharkhand 6-3 and secure the bronze medal.
Punjab made a strong start, with Gurwinder Singh finding the net in the 11th minute. Jarman Singh, who captained the side, then scored twice in quick succession in the 34th and 36th minutes. Charanjeet Singh added two goals in the 52nd and 53rd minutes, while Ajaypal Singh completed Punjab's tally with a goal in the 41st minute.
Jharkhand fought until the final whistle, with Patras Hassa completing a hat-trick through goals in the 33rd, 40th and 56th minutes. However, Punjab's attacking efficiency ensured they secured a convincing 6-3 victory and finished third in the tournament.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Mandeep Kerketta scoring in the 2nd minute set the tone. That early goal really put MP on the backfoot. And captain Deepak Pradhan leading from the front with the winner - that's what leadership is all about. Proud moment for Indian hockey!
As someone who's followed junior hockey for years, I must say the level of competition is rising. Madhya Pradesh gave Odisha a real fight - Sohil Ali's equaliser was well deserved. The final quarter drama was edge-of-the-seat stuff. But Odisha's defensive discipline won them the title.
That Punjab vs Jharkhand match for 3rd place was a goal-fest! 9 goals in total 😱 Patras Hassa's hat-trick for Jharkhand was brilliant but Punjab's attack was just unstoppable. Indian hockey's future is definitely in safe hands.
Great to see grassroots hockey thriving in India. The infrastructure investment in states like Odisha and Punjab is really paying off. Though I'd like to see more teams from southern states competing at this level. Still, congratulations to all the teams!
Odisha's hockey development programme is truly world-class! From grassroots to senior level, they keep producing talented players. Deepak Pradhan's captain's knock in the final epitomises their fighting spirit. Jai Hockey! 🇮🇳
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