Harpal Singh Bedi / Pune
“It is not over till it is over” Jharkhand proved this adage as after trailing 0-3 till the 32nd minute they turned the tables on Odisha to emerge 4-3 winners to set up a title clash with Haryana in the Girls U-17 hockey competition of the Khelo India Youth Games here on Thursday.
Haryana turned the second semi final to a one sided affair, hammering neighbours Pun jab 4-0.
In a thrilling encounter Odisha took a 3-0 lead in a space of 23 minutes in the first half and looked all set to make the final when Jharkhand made a stunning come from behind recovery pumping four goals in 28 minutes to change the script.
Neha Lakra put Odisha ahead in the 6th minute and Mukta Jojo made it 2-0 by converting a stroke. Jyoti Chhetri consolidated the lead in the 23rd with a superb penalty corner conversion (3-0)
Two minutes into the second half, Jharkhand’s revival began when Sanjana Horo taking advantage of the lax Odisha defence send the ball home (1-3). Six minutes later Jharkhand forced a penalty corner and Dipiti Kullu converted it to reduce the gap further (2-3).
Conceding two goals in six minutes made Odisha panicky and they crowded their defence to hold on to the lead but the tactics misfired as Jharkhand took over the control of the midfield and started attacks from the flanks.
The Odisha defence collapsed against the sustained onslaught and conceded the equalizer in the 48th minute . Poonam Mundu drew the parity for Jharkhand. (3-3)
Just before the final whistle Beauty Dung Dung cut through the shaky defence to shot home the winner for Jharkhand.
The second semi-final turned out to be an anti- climax as Haryana ridding on Neelam’s brace swamped Punjab 4-0
Despite dominating the proceedings It took Haryana 28 minutes to take the lead when Neelam converted a penalty corner.
Haryana pumped in three more goals in a space of six minutes of the last quarter of the game to seal the match in their favoure, Deepika converted a stroke in the 47 minute to increase the lead 2-0.
Neelam and Manju Chowrasiya scored off a penalty corner each to complete the tally