Odisha, Punjab, Chandigarh, UP enter Boys Hockey semis in Khelo India School Games
February 5, 2018, Delhi
Title contenders Odisha and Punjab registered easy victories over Delhi (5-1) and Karnataka (7-1) respectively to move into the semi-finals of the Boys hockey competition in Khelo India School Games at Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Monday.
In the semifinals, Odisha will play Uttar Pradesh and Punjab will face Chandigarh on Wednesday.
Completing the semi-final line-up were Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh who moved past Haryana (3-1) and Rajasthan (9-2) respectively.
In the first quarter-final of the day, Delhi hardly posed any real threat to their rivals, Odisha, who still took 21 minutes for Odisha to score their first goal. Captain Amardeep Lakra converted a penalty corner and 10 minutes later Sudeep Chirmako made it 2-0.
Three minutes into the second half, Delhi earned a penalty corner against the run of play and Rakesh found the target (1-2).
Taken by surprise Odisha launched furious counter attacks and three minutes later the Delhi citadel crumbled again as Amandeep Lakra scored his second and team’s third off a penalty corner (3-1). Odisha slammed two more goals through Matiyas Dang and Samir Ekka to complete the tally.
Raman Kumar scored three goals as Punjab made short work of Karnataka. The winners led 2-0 at halftime.
Punjab surged ahead in the 19th minute when Prateek Sharma sent the ball in off a penalty corner and then Angadbir Singh raised the tally to 2-0.
In second session Punjab’s Jaspreet Singh and Sudarshan Singh added a goal each to Raman Kumar’s three-goal tally. Karnataka managed to reduce the gap in the 57th minute through Cyril Lugun.
Earlier trailing till the 35th minute, Uttar Pradesh staged a good rally to put it across Haryana 3-1. The teams were leveled 1-1 at the break.
In the last quarterfinal, Chandigarh handed a 9-2 drubbing to Rajasthan.
