PUNE: Hockey Punjab, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and hosts Maharashtra moved into the semifinals with hard-fought wins in the 11th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship Pimpri Chinchwad 2021 at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey Stadium, Nehrunagar-Pimpri on Saturday.

In the first quarterfinal, two-time champions Hockey Punjab left it late to down a gritty Hockey Chandigarh 2-1. Both goals were scored by the experienced Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Rupinder Pal Singh.

After a goalless first half and the third quarter, Hockey Punjab broke the deadlock off a powerfully taken penalty corner by Rupinder Pal Singh (46th) that deflected off a defender into the roof of the goal.

Hockey Punjab (Red) and Hockey Chandigarh (Blue)

Chandigarh levelled scores four minutes later when Arshdeep Singh (50th) deflected the ball into the Punjab goal 1-1.

Three minutes later, Rupinder’s low drag-flick beat Chandigarh goalkeeper Jashandeep Singh with pace, which turned out to be the winner.

Later, Hockey Bengal and Hockey Karnataka were locked in an intense battle before the South team won 3-2 through a late winner by Ali Ansar A.M (58th) off a penalty corner.

Bengal was first to go 1-0 through Alsem Lakra (9th) which was levelled out by Karnataka’s Mohd. Raheel (21st) to make it 1-1.

Hockey Karnataka (Red, Yellow) and Hockey Bengal (White)

Harish Mutagar (30th) then put Karnataka ahead for the first time converting a penalty corner, before Bengal pulled levels via Abhishek Pratap Singh (40th) off a penalty corner.

In the third quarterfinal, Uttar Pradesh Hockey forced out a 2-1 win over Hockey Haryana. Uttar Pradesh Hockey took the lead through Mohammad Amir Khan (12th) which was cancelled by Haryana’s Mandeep (13th) to make it 1-1.

Hockey Haryana (Yellow) and Uttar Pradesh Hockey (Blue)

In the second quarter, Uttar Pradesh scored via Mohd. Sadiq (25th), that turned out to be the match-winner.

Uttar Pradesh beat Hockey Haryana who boasted four India Junior World Cuppers.

Hockey Maharashtra took the last quarterfinal slot downing the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu with a 2-0 win in the shoot out after playing out a 2-2 draw at the end of full time.

The match played under lights had both Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu create opportunities enough but move the scoreboard. Against the run of play, hosts Maharashtra went 1-0 through Pratap Shinde (8th) with a successful penalty corner conversion. The goal was his 10th of the tournament and all coming off penalty corners.

Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu (Blue, Yellow) and Hockey Maharashtra (Orange)

Thereafter, it was Maharashtra keeper Akash Chikte who stood between a host of attacks which included reflex action saves from the attempts off Silver Stalin S, then it was a deflection to a stiff reverse flick by Joshua Benedict Wesley.

At the other end, Tamil Nadu survived when Pratap Shinde tapped in the ball into the goal beating the Tamil Nadu keeper M Arun Prasadh by the narrowest of angles. However, the umpire felt otherwise denying the ‘goal’ and awarded a penalty corner instead.

Thereafter, Tamil Nadu gained the upper hand and scored the equaliser through Karthi S (46th) off a penalty corner and then added another two minutes later with a well-worked tap in to make it 2-1.

Maharashtra, thereafter, pushed hard and were rewarded when Taleb Shah (6oth) squeezed in the equaliser to push the game into the ‘shoot out’.

For Maharashtra Darshan Gawkar, Venkatesh Kenche scored twice, while Taleb Shah, Moses Pullanthara missed their attempts.

Tamil Nadu could not convert a single attempt from the shoot out and had Mareeswaran Sakthivel, Silver Stalin, Joshua Benedict Wesley and Karthi S.

RESULTS

QF-1: Hockey Punjab: 2 (Rupinder Pal Singh 46th, 53rd) bt Hockey Chandigarh: 1 (Arshdeep Singh 50th)

QF-2: Hockey Karnataka: 3 (Mohd. Raheel 21st, Harish Mutagar 30th, Ali Ansar A.M 58th) bt Hockey Bengal: 2 (Alsem Lakra 9th, Abhishek Pratap Singh 40th). HT: 2-1

QF-3: Uttar Pradesh Hockey:  2 (Mohammad Amir Khan 12th; Mohd. Sadiq 25th) bt Hockey Haryana: 1 (Mandeep 13th). HT: 2-1

QF4: Maharashtra: 2 (2) (Pratap Shinde 8th; Taleb Shah 60th) bt Tamil Nadu: 2 (0) (Karthi S 46th, 48th). HT:  1-0