Hockey Haryana on Sunday were crowned Champions of the 13th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2023 after they defeated Hockey Jharkhand 3-2 in the final of the 11-day tournament which was held at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.
Notably, Hockey Haryana came from behind twice to defeat Hockey Jharkhand in a thrilling encounter. After Sangita Kumari (7′) and Ankita Minz (27′) netted a goal each to put Hockey Jharkhand in front, Bhavya (25′, 58′) equalised and then won the game for Hockey Haryana. Meenakshi (36′) also scored a crucial goal for the Champions. With the win, Hockey Haryana not only successfully defended their title but also remained unbeaten in the tournament. Speaking on their successful campaign, Hockey Haryana’s Coach Azad Singh Malik said, “We are elated to defend the title. Despite trailing twice in the summit clash against a strong team like Hockey Jharkhand, we didn’t lose our confidence, stuck to our plan, and backed our skills to make a comeback and win the game. Moreover, we remained unbeaten in the tournament which definitely is a testament to the persistence and perseverance of this squad.”
“Ahead of the tournament, we had a training camp where we worked on our defence, attack, set-play, and other aspects of our game, so all our hard work and preparations paid off and helped us win the trophy,” he added.(ANI)
