Haryana beat Odisha to clinch hockey title, Punjab get bronze

Haryana emerged victorious in the 15th Hockey India Junior Men National Hockey Championship, defeating Odisha by 3-2 in a thrilling final held at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium.

Trailing 0-2 at half time, Haryana staged a remarkable comeback, with Chirag scoring in the 50th minute, followed by two goals from Nitan in the 51st and 60th minutes to seal the win. Odisha’s early lead came through goals from Deepak Pradhan (17th minute) and Pratap Topo (19th minute).

Punjab, who had won the championship last year, finished third this time. In the third-place playoff, they defeated Uttar Pradesh 4-3 in a tense penalty shootout after the match ended in a 3-3 draw during regulation time. Punjab displayed great composure and skill to secure the bronze medal.

The awards were presented by Cabinet Minister Mahinder Bhagat, who also announced a grant of Rs 11 lakh to Hockey Punjab. The event was graced by several dignitaries, including Nitin Kohli (President, Hockey Punjab), Amrik Singh Powar (General Secretary, Hockey Punjab), Olympians Sanjeev Kumar, Harpreet Singh Mander, and Rajinder Singh Sr, and others.