Coimbatore/Bhubaneswar: Hockey Association of Odisha emerged champions of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 – Division ‘A’ after defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh 2-1 in an exciting final held in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
The final witnessed an intense battle between two determined sides, with Odisha making a strong start to take an early lead. Mandeep Kerketta opened the scoring in the second minute, giving Odisha an early advantage and putting Madhya Pradesh under pressure.
Hockey Madhya Pradesh fought back strongly and continued to create opportunities, but Odisha’s defence remained resilient. The match remained closely contested as both teams battled for control in the midfield and looked to create openings in the attacking circle.
Madhya Pradesh eventually found the equaliser through Sohil Ali in the 37th minute, setting up an exciting final quarter. However, Odisha responded with renewed intensity and regained the lead through their captain, Deepak Pradhan, who found the back of the net in the 45th minute.
With the championship title at stake, Madhya Pradesh pushed forward in search of another equaliser in the closing stages. Odisha, however, held their shape and defended resolutely to preserve their 2-1 advantage until the final hooter. The victory saw Hockey Association of Odisha crowned champions of the 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026.
In the third-place match, Hockey Punjab produced an impressive attacking display to defeat Hockey Jharkhand 6-3 and secure the bronze medal.
Punjab made a strong start, with Gurwinder Singh finding the net in the 11th minute. Jarman Singh, who captained the side, then scored twice in quick succession in the 34th and 36th minutes. Charanjeet Singh added two goals in the 52nd and 53rd minutes, while Ajaypal Singh completed Punjab’s tally with a goal in the 41st minute.
Jharkhand fought until the final whistle, with Patras Hassa completing a hat-trick through goals in the 33rd, 40th and 56th minutes. However, Punjab’s attacking efficiency ensured they secured a convincing 6-3 victory and finished third in the tournament.
IANS
