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

Captains Joshua Benedict Wesley and Harmanpreet Singh led TN and Punjab to victory in the Hockey India 13th Senior National men’s championship quarterfinals. TN edged UP 3-2, Punjab beat Manipur 4-2, Haryana won 3-2 via sudden death against Odisha, and Karnataka defeated Jharkhand 4-1. TN and Haryana will face off in the semis, while Punjab will take on Karnataka.

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.

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.