The 13th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2023 kicked off in spectacular fashion today as Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu won their respective matches at the world-class Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.
Hockey Jharkhand took on Goans Hockey in the first match of the tournament and beat them comprehensively by an 18-0 scoreline. Atish Dodrai (5тАЩ, 45тАЩ, 58тАЩ), Team Captain Joseph Topno (11тАЩ, 46тАЩ, 47тАЩ), Deepak Soreng (12тАЩ, 33тАЩ, 42тАЩ, 60тАЩ), Jaymasih Tuti (32тАЩ), Shet Topno (37тАЩ, 38тАЩ), Sukhnath Guria (48тАЩ, 52тАЩ), Simon Bodra (50тАЩ), Abhishek Tigga (56тАЩ), and Navik Kerketta (58тАЩ) scored to secure three points for Hockey Jharkhand.
The Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu defeated Le Puducherry Hockey by 6-1 in the second match of the day. Manikandan (9тАЩ), Anand Y (12тАЩ, 26тАЩ), Naveen Raja Kumar (23тАЩ), and Team Captain Anantharaj (35тАЩ, 56тАЩ) scored for the Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu while V. Vimal (17тАЩ) scored a consolation goal for Le Puducherry Hockey.
Tripura Hockey forfeited their match against Hockey Karnataka awarding Hockey Karnataka with a default 5-0 win.
Later in the day, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Hockey will take on Hockey Rajasthan followed by a clash between the Hockey Association of Odisha and Hockey Gujarat.
