Did Hockey Arunachal, Bengal, Kerala, and Himachal Shine in Division ‘B’ Matches?

Chennai, Aug 2 (NationPress) Hockey Arunachal, Hockey Bengal, Kerala Hockey, and Hockey Himachal achieved notable victories as the Division ‘B’ matches came to a close on the sixth day of the 15th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2025, held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai.

With Chhattisgarh Hockey and Manipur Hockey finishing as the top two teams in Division ‘B’, they will be promoted to Division ‘A’. In the elite division, Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Association of Odisha, and Hockey Jharkhand emerged victorious in their respective matches.

In the initial Division ‘B’ match of the day, Hockey Arunachal triumphed over Goans Hockey with a score of 6-1. Captain Shashank Kumar (38’, 47’) spearheaded the team with two goals, while Lenga Tuti (13’) and Ashwani Patel (20’) established an early lead. In the final quarter, Sidharth Singh Pundir (55’) and Abhishek Kumar (58’) added to the tally, showcasing a commanding performance. Ankush Ansh Gaonkar (36’) was the only scorer for Goans Hockey.

In another Division ‘B’ clash, Hockey Bengal defeated Hockey Gujarat 4-1. Ray Risav (6’) opened the scoring, followed by Munna Kumar Singh (18’), and Abhishek Shaw (30’, 53’) sealed the win with a brace. Kuldipbhai Baraiya (50’) managed to score a consolation goal for Hockey Gujarat.

In yet another Division ‘B’ match, Kerala Hockey claimed victory over Telangana Hockey with a score of 5-1. Adithyan KS (24’, 28’) netted two quick goals, while Aman Kishor Lakra (33’), Nadeem KN (56’), and Alex Bobby (59’) contributed to the scoreline. Amit Dayal (57’) scored the only goal for Telangana Hockey.

In the last match of Division ‘B’, Hockey Himachal secured a 9-3 victory against Hockey Andhra Pradesh. Shivansh (30’, 50’, 52’) and Manpreet Singh (32’, 40’, 49’) each scored three goals, while Sidhant Kaushal (25’), Lakshay (27’), and Kartik Yadav (53’) also found the net. Earlier, Hussain Syed Jakeer (6’, 38’) scored twice for Hockey Andhra Pradesh, and Chaithanya Maduru Ganga (33’) added one more.

The conclusion of Division ‘B’ matches saw Chhattisgarh Hockey and Manipur Hockey rise to the top, earning promotion to Division ‘A’ for the next season. Conversely, the bottom two teams, Goans Hockey and Hockey Andhra Pradesh, will be relegated to Division 'C'.

In the opening match of Division ‘A’ that day, Uttar Pradesh Hockey narrowly defeated Hockey Madhya Pradesh 5-4. Prahalad Rajbhar (5’) scored first, followed by goals from Ketan Kushwaha (27’), Ali Shahrukh (33’, 45’), and Mohd Aqib Raynee (42’). Despite a valiant effort from Ansh Bahutra (34’, 38’, 49’) and Karan Gautam (24’), their efforts fell short for Hockey Madhya Pradesh.

Later, Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Hockey Chandigarh 3-1. Mithles Kerketta (6’), Sandeep Lakra (19’), and Sanjeet Raj Lakra (43’) scored for Odisha, while Suhail Duhan (47’) scored a late consolation goal for Hockey Chandigarh.

Hockey Jharkhand overcame Hockey Punjab 5-2. Goals from Ashish Tani Purthi (14’), Ganga Topno (19’), Hassa Patras (24’), Kiro Sabian (49’), and Sukhu Guria (56’) led Jharkhand to victory, while Arshpreet Singh (30’) and Jashanpreet Singh (58’) found the net for Hockey Punjab.

Later in the evening, Hockey Haryana is set to face Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey in a thrilling Division ‘A’ matchup.