The Rajgir Sports Complex in Bihar witnessed edge-of-the-seat quarterfinal dramas on day eight of the 16th Hockey India Sub-Junior Men’s National Championship 2026. Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh all punched their tickets to the Division A semifinals with hard-fought wins.
First up, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu held off a late surge from Hockey Chandigarh, winning 2-1. Skipper Dhiraj Pal’s timely strikes in the 27th and 42nd minutes proved decisive, with Jasmeet Singh’s 59th-minute goal leaving Chandigarh ruing missed chances.
Hockey Punjab lit up the pitch in a 5-3 thriller against Jharkhand. Double-goal hero Rajvir Singh (29′, 56′) starred alongside Akash Deep (11′), Sahabzpreet Singh (32′), and Sanmukh Singh (39′). Jharkhand’s Ashish Tani Purti dazzled with a hat-trick (15′, 19′, 56′), keeping the contest alive till the end.
Uttar Pradesh cruised to a 6-3 victory over Odisha, powered by Nitish Yadav’s quickfire double (49′, 51′). Goals from Karan Dhanush (33′), Prahlad Rajbhar (39′), Ketan Kushwaha (42′), and Romit Pal (52′) sealed it. Deepak Prakash Toppo’s treble (34′, 45′, 57′) highlighted Odisha’s resilience.
Madhya Pradesh and Haryana played out a tense 0-0 draw, but MP’s shootout mastery – 4-3 – thanks to Karan Gautam, Gazi Khan, Siddharth Ben, Ronin Ningombam Singh, and Ayush Rajak’s double saves – sent them through. Haryana got three from Ashish, Sachin, and Vishwajit.
Recapping day seven, Chandigarh overturned a deficit to defeat Maharashtra 5-3, with captain Sahil Duhan’s equalizer (27′) after Praveen Patial’s opener (21′). Haryana, Odisha, and Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu also progressed.
This championship is a breeding ground for future stars, with these results promising semifinals packed with excitement and skill.
