Haryana clinch 12th HI Junior Women National Championship title
May 23, 2022
Imphal (Manipur) [India], May 23 : Haryana emerged as the winners of the 12th Hockey India Sub-Junior Women National Championship 2022 after defeating Jharkhand 2-0 in the final of the tournament, which was held in Imphal, Manipur on Sunday.
Riya (13') and Sejal (39') scored a goal each to help Hockey Haryana successfully defend the title in what was a thrilling 2-0 win for the team.
"Jharkhand are a very strong side. We knew it was going to be a challenging game. We went with a defensive strategy today and just tried to keep the ball as much as we can. I am really happy that the players showed great character, maintained the structure and just stuck to their plans throughout the game," said Haryana coach Azad Singh Malik in a statement.
"It's a great achievement for any team to defend the title at any stage, and it shows that Haryana has its own legacy in this tournament. It's a special win for these young girls as well. You know it's a huge stepping stone for these players which will motivate them to do well in future," he added.
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh defeated Madhya Pradesh 3-0 to secure third place in the tournament. Pushpanjali Sonkar (4'), Manisha Patel (5') and Purnima Yadav (58') scored a goal each to help Uttar Pradesh seal the third place in the competition for the second consecutive time.
