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Key Points

Punjab secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over Uttar Pradesh to advance to the Sub Junior Men National Championship final. Sukhdev Singh’s late double proved decisive after a back-and-forth battle. Jharkhand also progressed, defeating Madhya Pradesh 3-1 in the other semifinal. The stage is now set for an exciting Punjab vs Jharkhand title clash.

Key Points: Punjab Edges Uttar Pradesh 4-3 in Sub Junior Hockey Semifinal Thriller

  • Punjab’s Sukhdev Singh scored twice in the 51st and 52nd minutes
  • Uttar Pradesh’s Ketan Kushwaha netted a crucial equalizer
  • Jharkhand beat Madhya Pradesh 3-1 in the other semifinal
  • Finals set for Punjab vs Jharkhand on Thursday
2 min read

Punjab defeats Uttar Pradesh 4-3 to reach final of Sub Junior Men National Championship

Punjab defeats Uttar Pradesh 4-3 in a thrilling semifinal to reach the Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship final against Jharkhand.

"Sukhdev Singh’s late brace sealed Punjab’s dramatic 4-3 win over Uttar Pradesh – Hockey India"

Chennai, August 6

Hockey Punjab and Hockey Jharkhand registered victories on Wednesday to cement their place in the Final of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2025, held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium.

Hockey Punjab will now face Hockey Jharkhand for the title, while Uttar Pradesh Hockey will meet Hockey Madhya Pradesh in the third-place fixture on Thursday, according to a Hockey India release.

In the first Semi-Final of the day, Hockey Punjab defeated Uttar Pradesh Hockey, 4-3. Sukhdev Singh (51', 52') shone with a late brace, after Mandeep Singh (19') and Varinder Singh (28') scored in the first half. Harsh Pratap Singh (9'), Ali Shahrukh (21'), and Captain Ketan Kushwaha (28') were the scorers for Uttar Pradesh Hockey.

In the other Semi-Final, Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh, 3-1. Though Love (21') gave Madhya Pradesh the lead, Jharkhand bounced back with goals from Soreng Sumray (29'), Ashish Tani Purti (44') and Jaysan Kandulna (56') to surge into the finals.

Earlier, the Quarter-Finals of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2025 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai saw Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Punjab, Hockey Jharkhand, and Hockey Madhya Pradesh advance as the final four on Tuesday.

In the first fixture of the day, Uttar Pradesh Hockey secured a 4-1 win over Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey. Ali Shahrukh (6', 23') continued his fine form with a brace, while Rajbhar Prahalad (42') and Mohd. Atif Raynee (58') also got on the scoresheet. Captain Dhiraj Pal (39') pulled one back for Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.

In a high-scoring contest, Hockey Punjab edged past the Hockey Association of Odisha 4-3 to book their place in the semifinals. Odisha's Captain Mandeep Kerketta (10', 27', 41') put his side ahead early and went on to complete a hattrick, Captain Arshdeep Singh (14') levelled the scores early for Punjab before Varinder Singh (39'), Anurag Singh (42'), and Sukhdev Singh (58') sealed the victory.

Hockey Jharkhand defeated Hockey Chandigarh 13-0 in an impressive display. Hemrom Tintus (18', 30', 44', 45', 60') led the charge with five goals, supported by Sabian Kiro's hat-trick (1', 22', 37') and Hassa Patras's brace (5', 9'). Ganga Topno (49'), Ashish Tani Purti (53') and Anish Dungdung (57') also found the net. In the final match of the day, Hockey Madhya Pradesh went past Hockey Haryana 2-1 to advance.

Karan Gautam (26') opened the scoring for Madhya Pradesh before Aashir Aadil Khan (33') doubled the advantage. Haryana pulled one back through Sachin (38'), but Madhya Pradesh held firm to close out the win.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone new to Indian hockey, I'm amazed by the talent at sub-junior level! Jharkhand's 13-0 win was brutal but shows the depth in our hockey system. More coverage please!
A
Ananya R
UP team fought really well despite the loss. Ketan Kushwaha's leadership was impressive. Hope they bounce back in the 3rd place match. MP vs UP will be interesting!
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Vikram M
Why no proper live streaming for such important matches? We have to rely on text updates while cricket gets 10 cameras. Hockey India needs to step up their digital game.
H
Harsh A
Hemrom Tintus with 5 goals for Jharkhand! 🔥 Tribal players showing their class again. Remember Dung Dung from Olympics? Future looks bright for Indian hockey!
P
Priya S
Chennai stadium hosting hockey matches is so good to see! South India needs more hockey exposure. Maybe next time include more southern teams in the tournament?
M
Michael C
The scorelines show huge disparity between teams. Hockey India should focus on developing infrastructure in weaker states. 13-0 matches aren't good for the sport's growth.

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