Manipur drew with Bengal 3-3 in a Pool E match of the Hockey India 13th Senior National men’s championship here on Thursday, topped the group and entered the quarterfinals on a better goal difference (19 to Bengal’s 14).
It was a riveting contest with both teams – with two wins each in the group – going all out for a victory. Bengal fought back brilliantly from a 0-2 deficit to equalise and was leading 3-2 before India player Nilakanta Sharma converted a stroke at the fag end of the match.
Manipur was in the driver’s seat, leading 2-0 at the end of the first two quarters. Bengal came into its own in the third quarter as it attacked relentlessly on both flanks and earned three penalty corners, which, however, were not converted.
