Pune, (Samajweekly) Hockey Punjab defeated Hockey Uttar Pradesh via a shoot-out tiebreaker to emerge champions in the 11th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium, Nehrunagar-Pimpri, near here on Tuesday.
In the final, Hockey Punjab fought off the challenge of Hockey Uttar Pradesh 2-1 via the ‘shoot out’ to be crowned third-time champions.
After both teams failed to break the deadlock in 60 minutes of play, matching each other in every department, the match went into the ‘shoot out’ to decide the winner.
Hockey Punjab scored via Vishal Yadav and Mehkeet Singh, while Uttar Pradesh Hockey only managed to score one through Mohd. Amir Khan
For Punjab, Ranjot Singh, Singh Hartaj Aujla missed their attempts, while Ajay Yadav, Mohd Sadiq, Mohd. Saif Khan and Tarun Adhikari missed Uttar Pradesh Hockey.
In the third-place play-off, Hockey Karnataka downed hosts Hockey Maharashtra 5-2.
Hockey Karnataka was on the attack from the start which paid off when Yathish Kumar (3rd) capitalised on an opportunity that came off Hockey Maharashtra goalkeeper Akash Chikte after doing well initially.
Skipper Mohd. Raheel (5th) made it 2-0 off a well-worked indirect penalty corner.
The hosts pulled one back when skipper Taleb Shah (24th) beat Hockey Karnataka Somanna Sharath K.p with a top of the circle reverse hit. At halftime, Hockey Karnataka led 2-1.
In the third quarter, Taleb (33rd) scored from close after Yogesh Borkar set him up with a brilliant pass from inside the 25-yard line to make it 2-2.
With the game tied, Hockey Karnataka once again took the lead through Pavan Madivalar (37th) after Somanna Bp set him up (3-2). The south team added another through Chiranth Somanna N.D (45th) and completed their tally through Likhith Bm (52nd) 5-2.
RESULTS
Final: Hockey Punjab 0 bt Uttar Pradesh Hockey 0 via shoot-out (2-1)
Third-place match: Hockey Karnataka 5 (Yathish Kumar 3rd; Mohd. Raheel 5th; Pavan Madivalar 37th; Chiranth Somanna N.D 45th; Likhith Bm 52nd) bt Hockey Maharashtra 2 (Taleb Shah 24th, 33rd). HT: 2-1.
