New Delhi: Odisha won its maiden Hockey India Senior Men National Championship title following an emphatic 5-1 win over Haryana at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. Haryana, who have won two national titles in 14 editions, settled for the runners-up spot for the second successive year after losing to Punjab in last year’s final.
Shilananand Lakra struck hat-trick to extend Odisha’s lead in the final quarter of the match while Rajat Akash Tirkey and Pratap Lakra scored a goal apiece. Joginder Singh netted the solitary goal for Haryana.
Odisha deployed speed coupled with composure to outsmart Haryana. Rajat Akash Tirkey gave his side the lead in the 11th minute before Haryana attacked in a full-throttle mode but to no avail. The second quarter turned out to be a goalless affair. Pratap Lakra doubled Odisha’s lead in the 39th minute after converting a penalty stroke.
Shilanand, who has played for the senior Indian men’s hockey team until 2022, stepped up to add three goals in the space of 12 minutes. The 25-year-old, who hails from Sundargarh district, showcased his running and dribbling skills to run get past the defenders, his second goal was a treat to watch. He stole the ball from Haryana’s Prabhjot Singh and later unleashed a reverse-flick to hit the target. Joginder pulled one for Haryana in the 55th minute to avoid a loss with a nought.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, who hails from Saunamara village in Sundargarh district of Odisha, congratulated the Odisha men’s team for ending the title drought at the nationals.
“The long wait is over. History is made by our Odisha men’s hockey team. In the final match of the Hockey India National Senior Men’s Hockey Tournament, Odisha has won the championship for the first time by defeating the mighty Haryana by 1-5 goals. Congratulations to the Odisha team for this historic achievement,” Tirkey wrote on X as translated from Odia.
The Champions of the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2024 have been crowned🔥
Men’s Medalists:
🥇 Hockey Association of Odisha
🥈 Hockey Haryana
🥉 Uttar Pradesh Hockey#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame
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.@CMO_Odisha @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @sports_odisha pic.twitter.com/9zEyHEyT5O
— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) November 16, 2024
Uttar Pradesh defeated Manipur 2-1 to win bronze
Uttar Pradesh captain and India international Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (6th) broke the deadlock in the first quarter. A precise long ball from fellow international Rajkumar Pal found Iktidar Ishrat, who squared it to Lalit for a quick tap in.
Deep in the third quarter, Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh (43th) found the equaliser for Manipur from a penalty corner. In the final quarter, Rajkumar Pal scored the winner in the 54th minute as Uttar Pradesh won by a narrow margin of 2-1 against Manipur to claim the bronze medal.
(With inputs from PTI)
Odisha won its maiden Hockey India Senior Men National Championship title following an emphatic 5-1 win over Haryana at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
