Sub-jr Women's National Hockey: Odisha, MP, UP, Jharkhand reach win, reach semis
Ranchi, April 9
Teams from Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand won in the quarterfinals of Division 'A' of the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh International Astro-turf Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on Thursday.
In quarterfinal 1, Hockey Association of Odisha enjoyed a commanding 8-1 victory over Hockey Maharashtra. Priyanka Minz (8', 26', 41', 54) was in fantastic form as she registered four goals to her name. Princess Priya Ekka (20', 42'), Sweety Kujur (26'), and Kiran Ekka (38') also contributed with goals for Hockey Association of Odisha, while Anvi Rawat (60') scored the lone goal for Hockey Maharashtra.
The quarterfinal 2 clash saw Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeat Hockey Mizoram with a scoreline of 5-1. Captain Nousheen Naz (12', 24', 42') scored a hat-trick for her side while Nammi Geethasri (2') and Bhabar Keshar (21') also contributed with goals for the winning side. Captain of Hockey Mizoram Laldinpuii (53') scored the only goal for her team in the final quarter.
Uttar Pradesh Hockey defeated Hockey Haryana 2-1 in a tightly-contested Quarter-Final 3 encounter. Arika Kumari (21') scored the opening goal in the second quarter to give Uttar Pradesh Hockey an early lead. Hockey Haryana's Radhika (50') scored the equaliser in the final quarter; however, four minutes later, Rashi Singh (54') scored the winning goal for Uttar Pradesh Hockey.
In the last quarterfinal of the day, hosts Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Punjab 2-0. Pushpa Manjhi (35') and Sandeepa Kumari (53') were the goal scorers for Hockey Jharkhand.
Hockey Association of Odisha will face Hockey Madhya Pradesh, while Hockey Jharkhand will take on Uttar Pradesh Hockey in the semifinals on Friday.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone from Ranchi, it's great to see our stadium hosting such a prestigious event and our Jharkhand team making it to the semis! Pushpa Manjhi and Sandeepa Kumari played brilliantly. The local support must have been electric. Hope they go all the way!
The UP vs Haryana match sounds like it was a nail-biter! Winning 2-1 in the final quarter shows great mental strength from the Uttar Pradesh girls. These sub-junior tournaments are so important for building a pipeline for the national team. More coverage please!
While the wins are impressive, the scorelines like 8-1 and 5-1 suggest a big gap between the top teams and the rest. Hockey India needs to ensure development programs reach states like Maharashtra and Mizoram too, for a more competitive national championship.
Captain Nousheen Naz with a hat-trick for MP! Leadership on the field. The semifinals are set up perfectly - Odisha vs MP and Jharkhand vs UP. Tough to predict a winner. May the best teams win. Jai Hind!
So many talented players coming from tribal communities - Minz, Ekka, Kujur, Manjhi. It's heartening to see hockey providing a platform. These girls are making their states and the country proud. Let's cheer them on! 🥳
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