The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Orissa pips Jharkhand

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Sport

Sport - Hockey

Orissa pips Jharkhand

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Holder Jharkhand bowed out of the National sub-junior girls hockey tournament, losing 4-5 to Orissa, in a match that was decided by `sudden death'.

The first semifinal played at the KSHA Stadium was virtually a final and it was unfortunate that the two best teams on display at the tournament were pitted against each other at that stage. Delhi edged past Uttar Pradesh 1-0 in the second semifinal.

The Orissa-Jharkhand clash was the match of the tournament. Orissa opened the scoring with Binita Xess's goal in the 13th minute. Jharkhand strove hard but was held at bay by the Orissa defence till the 62nd minute when Shushanti Bengra sounded the boards to level the scores.

Goes to tie-breaker

With the extra time for the `golden goal' producing no result, the teams lined up for the tie-breaker. Orissa gained the advantage with its first three strikers (Binita Kindo, Sarita Bara and Roselin Dung) scoring whereas Jharkhand's first two — Sushanti Bengra (saved by Orissa's goalkeeper Suniti Kisspotta) and Preety Sunila Kiro (hit the upright) — put their side in arrears.

Orissa then made a hash of the tie-break with Binita Xess essaying a feeble push, which was saved by Renuka Soreng, and Remi Reshmi Kujur's attempt being well blocked by Renuka. Jharkhand's trio of Anita Tiru, Shushma Tiru and Shilwanti Minjur were on target to leave the scores 4-4 after the tie-break.

Jharkhand's Shilwanti Minjur's first strike in the sudden death was well saved by Kisspota and Kindo's uppish push went past Renuka Soreng to enable Orissa emerge the winner.

The second semifinal was a lacklustre affair. In the 61st minute, U.P's Manjari Pandey shot from just outside the circle. When umpire Anupama disallowed the goal, four U.P players crowded around her seeking an over-rule. The ball was still in play and Delhi's Savitha made a run towards the U.P. citadel and slotted in. The U.P. girls began claiming that a `time-out' had been enforced. The threat of a walk-out was quelled and Delhi emerged winner.

Tuesday's matches: Third place: 1 p.m.; Final: 3 p.m.

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