Leading from the entrance: Punjab skipper Harmanpreet scored two objectives as his facet rode roughshod over Karnataka.
| Photo Credit: RAGU R
Defending champion Haryana reached its second straight final with a 4-2 victory over Tamil Nadu by means of shoot-out to arrange a summit clash with Punjab in the Senior National males’s hockey championship right here.
On Monday, three-time champion Punjab rode roughshod over Karnataka, successful 5-1 in the second semifinal, thanks to a brace from skipper Harmanpreet Singh.
Just when it appeared {that a} good objective by Abhishek, who hoodwinked two defenders to unleash a backhander had settled the challenge for Haryana in the third quarter, TN scored the equaliser with only a few seconds remaining for the hooter.
TN, which didn’t convert its earlier three penalty corners, didn’t encourage a lot confidence when it took its fourth PC. But, Somanna shocked everybody when his drive went previous the outstretched left leg of ’keeper Pawan into the internet.
Haryana took a 3-1 lead in the shoot-out after Okay. Selvaraj and S. Karthi failed to discover the goal. Sundarapandi decreased the margin.
TN had a glimmer of hope when Haryana captain Sumit’s shot was saved by custodian Senthamizh Arasu. Haryana went for a video referral, which it received, after it was revealed that Arasu had dedicated a foul.
Haryana was awarded a penalty stroke for the foul, which Joginder Singh transformed to put his facet in the final.
In the other-last 4 clash, Punjab had a agency maintain on the proceedings towards Karnataka. Though a younger Karnataka staff confirmed flashes of particular person brilliance, Punjab stood its floor with a strong efficiency.
The match was just about over after Punjab took a 4-1 lead in the third quarter. Punjab final received the crown in 2021 and shall be going through Haryana for the first time in the final in 13 editions.
The outcomes (semifinals): Haryana 4 (Sanjay, Rajant, Abhishek, Joginder Singh (PS) bt TN 2 (S. Mareeswaran, Sundarapandi) by way of shoot-out; Punjab 5 (Shamsher Singh 4, Sukhjeet Singh 13, Harmanpreet Singh 39, 44, Akashdeep Singh 45) bt Karnataka 1 (Abharan Sudev 18).
