HOCKEY | TN fights back to edge UP, will meet Haryana in the semifinals

It was a captains’ day out in the quarterfinals of the Hockey India 13th Senior National men’s championship here on Saturday as Joshua Benedict Wesley and Harmanpreet Singh led their teams to victory and book a place in the last four.

Joshua’s brace enabled Tamil Nadu edge out Uttar Pradesh 3-2 while Harmanpreet’s powerful penalty corner strikes helped favourite Punjab put it across Manipur 4-2.

In another pulsating last eight contest, defending champion Haryana beat Odisha 3-2 through sudden death after the teams were tied 2-2 at regulation time and 2-2 in the shoot-out. In the lone one-sided tie, Karnataka dispatched Jharkhand 4-1. In the semifinals on Monday, TN will clash with Haryana while Punjab will meet Karnataka.

Though TN had its chances here and there, it was UP which converted opportunities when it mattered and at half-time it had a handy 2-0 lead.

J. Joshua Benedict Wesely, seated, celebrates after his strike against Uttar Pradesh during their 13th Hockey India Senior Men’s National Championship 2023 semifinal at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, Chennai, on Saturday, November 25, 2023. (Source: M. VEDHAN)

There was a definite change in TN’s intention in the third quarter as it mounted a series of attacks, but everything went in vain, including a diving shot by S. Karthi that was blocked well by ‘goalkeeper Prashant Chauhan. TN went into the final quarter with a goal by Sundarapandi.

Joshua stunned the UP defence with a full 360 degree sweep that deceived those around him and one that found the roof of the net. With hardly a minute remaining, the host captain then struck the winning goal from the edge of the circle with a withering backhander.

Odisha did well to rally from a 0-2 deficit to 2-2 against Haryana and force the match to a shoot out. In the first five attempts each at the tiebreaker, the teams were tied again at 2-2. In the sudden death, Ashis Kumar Topno missed the target while Abhishek found the top of the net.

Sunday is a rest day.

The results (Quarterfinals): Karnataka 4 (Sheshe Gowda 23, Likith Bm 32, Harish Mutagar 46, 49) bt Jharkhand 1 (Dibar Barla 39).

TN 3 (Sundarapandi 27, Joshua Benedict Wesley 52 & 59) bt UP 2 (Manish Sahani 30, Sunil Yadav 30).

Haryana 3 (Yashdeep Siwach, Abhishek 2) bt Odisha 2 (Ashis Kumar Topno, Kerobin Lakra) via sudden death.

Punjab 4 (Pardeep Singh 6, Sukhjeet Singh 20, Harmanpreet Singh 32 & 51) bt Manipur 2 (Chinglensana Singh 36, Rishi Yumnam 45).