Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], September 23 : The penultimate matchday of the league phase of the second edition of the Punjab Hockey League (U 21) saw Roundglass Hockey Academy and Naval Tata Hockey Academy confirm their places in the knockout stage, joining table toppers SAI Sonipat.
While RGHA registered a convincing 5-1 win over SDAT Hockey Academy, Naval Tata sealed qualification despite losing to SGPC Hockey Academy in a dramatic shootout after a 10-goal thriller. PIS Surjit Hockey Academy also boosted their chances for the knockout with a strong win, while SAI Sonipat cemented their top spot with another dominant performance.
In the opening game of day 13, here at the Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium, Roundglass Hockey Academy defeated SDAT Hockey Academy 5-1. After a goalless first half, RGHA exploded in the third quarter with four goals in quick succession.
Amandeep opened the scoring in the 31st minute from a penalty corner before Jobanpreet Singh doubled the lead a minute later. Captain Gursewak Singh and Sukhmanpreet Singh extended the advantage, making it 4-0 heading into the final quarter. SDAT pulled one back through captain S. Krishnan in the 48th minute, but Amandeep restored the cushion almost immediately with his second goal. Anurag added a late strike for SDAT, but RGHA had already done enough to secure the three points and their knockout berth.
The second match produced the most drama of the day, with SGPC Hockey Academy defeating Naval Tata Hockey Academy 5-4 in a shootout after a thrilling 5-5 draw. SGPC's Shershubhjit Singh netted twice, while captain Sukhdev Singh, Harwinder Singh, and Kamaljeet Singh chipped in with a goal each. For Naval Tata, Ashish Tani Purti scored a brace, alongside goals from Patras Hassa, Mohit Nayak, and Anish Dungdung. Both teams collected a point, with Naval Tata moving to 24 points from 13 matches to seal qualification, while SGPC, with 16 points, including a bonus point for a shootout win, remains in contention for the final knockout spot.
PIS Surjit Hockey Academy secured a commanding 5-1 win over Ghumanhera Risers Hockey Academy. Rohan Bhushan's double, goals from captain Abhishek Gorkhi and Manmeet Singh Rai, and a third-quarter strike from Jashanpreet Singh gave PIS a 5-0 lead by the 45th minute. Tushar scored a late consolation for Ghumanhera in the 56th minute. With this result, PIS Surjit Academy moved to 19 points and significantly improved their knockout prospects.
In the final match of the day, SAI Sonipat once again showcased their dominance, defeating Namdhari Hockey Academy 6-2 to secure top spot in the league phase with 36 points from 13 matches. Nitin scored a superb hat trick, while Ankur Kor, Ankush, and Pankaj Sharma added one each for the table toppers. Namdhari's Gurpreet Singh and Misbah Khan were on target.
Punjab Hockey League is organised jointly by Roundglass Hockey Academy and Hockey Punjab, aiming to provide extensive match exposure to players from the grassroots level and contribute meaningfully to their professional and personal development.