Pune, Dec 18 (Hockey News) Punjab and Karnataka registered victories in their respective quarterfinal matches of the 11th Hockey India Senior Men's National Championship here on Saturday.
In the first quarterfinal, Punjab edged out Chandigarh 2-1 in a thriller to reach the semifinals of the tournament, courtesy of a brace from captain Rupinder Pal Singh (46', 53'). Arshdeep Singh (50'), who put up a spirited performance, was the goal-scorer for Chandigarh.
In the second quarterfinal, Karnataka earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over Bengal.
In the topsy-turvy encounter, it was Bengal who struck first through Alsem Lakra's goal in the 9th minute.
However, in the second quarter, Karnataka bounced back and took the lead through goals from captain Mohd. Raheel (21) and Harish Mutagar (30').
Abhishek Pratap Singh scored an equaliser for Bengal in the 40th minute. With both teams pushing hard for the winner, it was S Deekshith P, who converted a penalty corner in the 58th minute and helped his team Karnataka seal a spot in the semifinals of the tournament.
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News Source : PTI
