Rourkela: Sports Hostel Bhubaneswar and North Central Railway (NCR), Allahabad entered the final of the IIIrd Major Dhyanchand Memorial All India Invitation Women’s Hockey Championships after winning their respective matches here Saturday. The final will be played, Sunday.
In the second game of the day, Sports Hostel Bhubaneswar scraped past Sports Hostel Panposh 5-4 via shoot-out in a keenly-contested game. The match ended 2-2 in regulation time. In the ensuing penalty shootout Bhubaneswar could convert three of their five chances, while Panposh could sound the board only twice.
The two home teams gave the spectators their money’s worth. The Bhubaneswar eves opened their account through Khusbu Kujur when she converted a penalty corner in the 25th minute. However, the Panposh girls retaliated immediately and were back on even keel six minutes later when Nimabati Singh struck, also through a penalty corner.
After the change of ends Panposh doubled their lead in the 57th minute when Jiwan Kishori Toppo sounded the board from the left flank with a powerful strike, but Asmita Barla of Bhubaneswar restored parity nine minutes later.
Earlier in the first semifinal, NCR registered a convincing 2-0 win over North Eastern Railway (NER) Gorakhpur. NCR were always the dominant side and scored a goal in each of the halves. Pinki opened the account for NCR in the 22nd minute when she scored off a melee. NER also got a couple of opportunities in the first period, but could not capitalise.
After the change of ends, Anu Bala doubled the lead for NCR in the 49th minute. They could have increased their margin of victory, but missed few easy opportunities towards the end.
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