(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
In the thrilling penultimate day of the league phase in the Punjab Hockey League (U21)’s second edition, two teams punched their tickets to the knockout stage, joining league leaders SAI Sonipat. The action unfolded at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar, Punjab, drawing crowds eager for young talent in Indian hockey.
Roundglass Hockey Academy kicked off the day with a solid 5-1 victory over SDAT Hockey Academy, locking in their spot in the U21 hockey playoffs. The first half stayed scoreless, but RGHA turned on the heat in the third quarter, netting four quick goals. Amandeep broke the deadlock with a penalty corner strike in the 31st minute, followed by Jobanpreet Singh’s goal just a minute later. Captain Gursewak Singh and Sukhmanpreet Singh piled on, making it 4-0. SDAT’s captain S. Krishnan pulled one back in the 48th minute, but Amandeep scored again right away. Anurag added a late goal for SDAT, but RGHA’s win sealed their qualification.
The day’s highlight came in the second match—a nail-biting 5-5 draw between SGPC Hockey Academy and Naval Tata Hockey Academy that went to a shootout. SGPC edged it out 5-4 in the penalty drama, earning a bonus point. Shershubhjit Singh scored twice for SGPC, with captain Sukhdev Singh, Harwinder Singh, and Kamaljeet Singh adding one each. Naval Tata’s Ashish Tani Purti grabbed a brace, while Patras Hassa, Mohit Nayak, and Anish Dungdung also found the net. Both sides picked up a point, but Naval Tata’s 24 points from 13 games confirmed their knockout berth. SGPC, now at 16 points, stays in the hunt for the last spot.
PIS Surjit Hockey Academy kept their playoff dreams alive with a convincing 5-1 thrashing of Ghumanhera Risers Hockey Academy. Rohan Bhushan notched a double, captain Abhishek Gorkhi and Manmeet Singh Rai scored once each, and Jashanpreet Singh’s third-quarter goal pushed them to 5-0 by the 45th minute. Tushar got a consolation for Ghumanhera in the 56th. This result lifted PIS Surjit to 19 points, boosting their chances in the Punjab U21 hockey league.
Wrapping up the day, SAI Sonipat showed why they’re unbeatable, smashing Namdhari Hockey Academy 6-2 to clinch the top position with 36 points from 13 matches. Nitin starred with a hat trick, and Ankur Kor, Ankush, and Pankaj Sharma each added a goal. Gurpreet Singh and Misbah Khan scored for Namdhari.
The Punjab Hockey League, run by Roundglass Hockey Academy and Hockey Punjab, spotlights grassroots players in India. It gives these young athletes plenty of game time to sharpen their skills and grow both on and off the field.
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