Joshua’s two-goal performance propelled Tamil Nadu to a narrow 3-2 victory over the favored Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Harmanpreet’s formidable penalty corner strikes played a pivotal role as favored Punjab secured a 4-2 win against Manipur.
In the Hockey India 13th Senior National Men’s Championship quarterfinals on Saturday, captains Joshua Benedict Wesley and Harmanpreet Singh showcased their leadership prowess, guiding their teams to victory and securing spots in the semifinals.
Tamil Nadu, led by Joshua, clinched a narrow 3-2 win over the favored Uttar Pradesh, thanks to his two-goal contribution. Meanwhile, Harmanpreet’s commanding penalty corner strikes played a crucial role as Punjab, led by him, triumphed 4-2 against Manipur.
In an intense quarterfinal showdown, defending champion Haryana secured a 3-2 victory over Odisha in sudden death, following a 2-2 tie in regulation time and a shootout. In the only lopsided match, Karnataka convincingly defeated Jharkhand 4-1. Looking ahead to the semifinals on Monday, Tamil Nadu will face Haryana, and Punjab will take on Karnataka.
Despite Tamil Nadu having opportunities throughout, it was Uttar Pradesh that capitalized on crucial moments, securing a 2-0 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Tamil Nadu intensified its attacks, but efforts, including a diving shot by S. Karthi, were thwarted by goalkeeper Prashant Chauhan. Sundarapandi’s goal brought hope as TN entered the final quarter.
In a remarkable play, Joshua surprised the UP defense with a 360-degree sweep, finding the net. In the last minute, the home team captain sealed the victory with a powerful backhander from the edge of the circle.
Odisha showed resilience, recovering from a 0-2 deficit to level the score at 2-2 against Haryana, ultimately leading to a shootout. After the initial tiebreaker attempts ended at 2-2, Abhishek’s successful shot in sudden death secured Haryana’s victory as Ashish Kumar Topno missed the target.
Quarterfinal Results:
- Karnataka 4 (Sheshe Gowda 23, Likith Bm 32, Harish Mutagar 46, 49) defeated Jharkhand 1 (Dibar Barla 39).
- Tamil Nadu 3 (Sundarapandi 27, Joshua Benedict Wesley 52 & 59) edged out Uttar Pradesh 2 (Manish Sahani 30, Sunil Yadav 30).
- Haryana 3 (Yashdeep Siwach, Abhishek 2) won against Odisha 2 (Ashis Kumar Topno, Kerobin Lakra) in sudden death.
Punjab secured a 4-2 victory over Manipur with goals from Pardeep Singh (6th minute), Sukhjeet Singh (20th minute), and Harmanpreet Singh (32nd and 51st minutes). Manipur responded with goals from Chinglensana Singh (36th minute) and Rishi Yumnam (45th minute).
