Punjab and Jharkhand Head to Thrilling Final in Hockey India Sub Junior Nationals

On a dramatic Wednesday, Punjab and Jharkhand secured their spots in the final showdown of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship. Both teams emerged victorious in closely contested semi-finals.

In a nail-biting first semi-final, Punjab clinched a 4-3 victory over Uttar Pradesh. The match saw Punjab's Sukhdev Singh shine with two late goals that sealed their spot in the final. Earlier, goals by Mandeep Singh and Varinder Singh set the pace for Punjab, while Harsh Pratap Singh, Ali Shahrukh, and captain Ketan Kushwaha kept the pressure on for Uttar Pradesh.

Jharkhand, in their semi-final bout against Madhya Pradesh, showcased resilience. Despite falling behind early to a goal by Love, they bounced back with strikes from Soreng Sumray, Ashish Tani Purti, and Jaysan Kandulna, securing a 3-1 win. The losing semi-finalists, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, will now compete for the third spot on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)