Others

India's junior men's hockey team clinched a thrilling bronze medal at the Sultan of Johor Cup after a nail-biting 3-2 shootout victory over New Zealand on Saturday. The match ended in a 2-2 stalemate in regulation time, setting the stage for a tense penalty shootout.Goalkeeper Bikramjit Singh emerged as the hero for India, making three crucial saves in the shootout. Strikers Gurjot Singh, Manmeet Singh, and Sourabh Anand Kushwaha converted their penalties with precision, securing the victory for their team.Earlier in the match, India had taken an early lead through goals from Dilraj Singh and Manmeet Singh. However, New Zealand fought back in the final quarter with goals from Owen Brown and Jonty Elmes, forcing the match into a shootout.India started the match with a strong attacking display, creating several scoring opportunities. Dilraj Singh opened the scoring in the 11th minute, assisted by Mukesh Toppo. Manmeet Singh doubled India's lead in the 20th minute with a brilliant field goal, assisted by Anmol Ekka and Mukesh.New Zealand struggled to create scoring chances in the first half, but they came out with renewed determination in the fourth quarter. Brown scored in the 51st minute, assisted by Bradley Rothwell, and Elmes equalized in the 57th minute, setting up the dramatic shootout.In the shootout, Bikramjit Singh made three outstanding saves, denying New Zealand's attempts to score. Gurjot Singh, Manmeet Singh, and Kushwaha converted their penalties with confidence, securing the bronze medal for India.

India's junior men's hockey team continued their impressive run at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, defeating hosts Malaysia 4-2 on Tuesday. The victory propelled India to the top of the standings with nine points, while New Zealand and Australia followed with five and four points, respectively.Malaysia started the match aggressively, scoring two quick goals through Muhammad Danish Aiman and Harris Osman in the eighth and ninth minutes. However, India responded swiftly, with Sharda Nand Tiwari converting a penalty corner in the 11th minute and Arshdeep Singh scoring a field goal two minutes later.The second quarter remained scoreless, but India regained the lead in the third quarter. Talem Priyobarta scored from the edge of the circle in the 39th minute, and Rohit extended India's advantage with a penalty corner strike a minute later.Malaysia earned a penalty corner in the fourth quarter but failed to convert. Both teams had several more penalty corner opportunities, but neither could capitalize. India held on to their 4-2 lead until the final whistle, securing their third consecutive victory in the tournament.India's victory was a testament to their resilience and determination. Despite conceding two early goals, they fought back to take control of the match. Their defense held firm in the final quarter, preventing Malaysia from mounting a comeback.

India's junior hockey teams concluded their European tour with mixed results, showcasing their potential and resilience. The men's team secured a thrilling shootout victory over Germany, while the women's team played to a 2-2 draw against Orange Rood club.The men's team, led by captain Vivek Sagar Prasad, faced a tough challenge against Germany in their final match of the tour. After a goalless first half, Mukesh Toppo broke the deadlock for India in the 33rd minute with a rebound from a penalty corner. However, Germany equalized four minutes into the fourth quarter, forcing the match into a penalty shootout.In the shootout, Gurjot Singh, Dilraj Singh, and Manmeet Singh converted their attempts, while Germany managed only one successful penalty. This gave India a 3-1 victory in the shootout and a much-needed boost after three consecutive losses on the tour.The women's team, captained by Suman Devi Thoudam, also faced a challenging match against Orange Rood. After a quiet first quarter, Sanjana Horo gave India the lead in the 18th minute. However, Orange Rood responded strongly in the third quarter, earning three penalty corners and scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead.Undeterred, India fought back in the final quarter and equalized through Anisha Sahu in the 58th minute. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, giving India a solitary draw on their tour.Overall, the European tour provided valuable experience for both the men's and women's junior hockey teams. The men's team showed their ability to compete against top European sides, while the women's team demonstrated their resilience and determination.

The Indian junior men's hockey team faced a narrow 2-3 defeat against Germany in a thrilling encounter that went down to the wire on their ongoing Europe tour. The match, played in Breda, Netherlands, showcased the resilience and determination of both teams.The first quarter witnessed a flurry of action, with both sides creating opportunities through penalty corners. However, neither team managed to break the deadlock, leaving the score at 0-0.The second quarter saw Germany take the lead with a well-executed field goal five minutes in. Undeterred, India responded with a penalty corner goal from defender Yogember Rawat, leveling the score at 1-1.India continued to press forward in the third quarter, earning another penalty corner. Forward Gurjot Singh made no mistake, putting India ahead 2-1. However, Germany refused to give up and equalized just minutes later with a penalty corner of their own.The final quarter was a tense affair, with both teams desperate for the winning goal. India had a chance to regain the lead early on but failed to convert a penalty corner. As the clock ticked down, Germany was awarded a penalty corner in the dying moments. They capitalized on the opportunity, scoring the winning goal and sealing a 3-2 victory.Despite the defeat, the Indian junior men's hockey team displayed commendable spirit and determination throughout the match. They will look to end their Europe tour on a high when they face Germany once again in their final match on Wednesday.

Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team Embarks on European Tour with Rohit as CaptainThe Indian junior men's hockey team, under the leadership of defender Rohit, is set to embark on a European tour from May 20-29. The 20-member squad will play five matches across three nations—Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands—as part of Hockey India's initiative to provide the team with valuable exposure and experience.Rohit, who has been a key member of the Indian junior team for the past two years, expressed his excitement about the upcoming tour. "We have been training hard at our camp and have developed an understanding of each other's gameplay," he said. "It will be wonderful to play together against teams from other nations to help us build on our game and get better through this kind of exposure."The team's vice-captain, Shardanand Tiwari, echoed Rohit's sentiments. "This will be a wonderful experience and will go a long way in evaluating where we stand as a team and as individual players," he said. "It will be a great way to figure out our strengths and what areas we would need to touch upon."The Indian team will face a tough challenge during their tour, as they will be playing against some of the top junior teams in Europe. However, the players are confident that they can perform well and gain valuable experience."We are all very excited about this tour," said midfielder Ankit Pal. "We have been working hard in training and we are ready to give our best on the field. We know that the competition will be tough, but we are confident that we can perform well and make our country proud."The Indian team will play their first match on May 20 against Belgium in Antwerp, before playing the same opponents in Breda, Netherlands on May 22. India will then play the Netherlands' Club team Bredase Hockey Vereniging Push in Breda on May 23, followed by a game against Germany on May 28 in Germany. They will then return to Breda to play Germany once again on 29th May in their final match of the tour.