Odisha Begin Junior Hockey Nationals With Win; UP, Punjab Also Triumph

Odisha made a winning start to their campaign in the Junior Men’s National Hockey Championship (Division A), staging a strong comeback to edge past Karnataka 2-1 on Sunday.

Karnataka struck first through Nitesh Sharma in the 37th minute, but Odisha responded in style with two quick goals in the final quarter. Ritik Lakra (50’) and Aryan Xess (51’) scored within a minute to seal the hard-fought victory and bag full points.

In other Division A fixtures, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana also registered wins, further intensifying the competition in the championship.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh and Delhi earned promotion to Division A, ensuring their place among the country’s top junior men’s hockey teams.