The inaugural day of Division 'A' at the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Men National Championship 2026 showcased impressive performances from Hockey Punjab, Uttar Pradesh Hockey, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, and Hockey Jharkhand. In Division 'B', Hockey Bengal and Hockey Arunachal also celebrated victories at the Rajgir Sports Complex on Sunday.
Pool A: Hockey Punjab vs Hockey Maharashtra
In Pool A of Division A, Hockey Punjab triumphed over Hockey Maharashtra with a score of 2-0. Goals were netted by Sangat Singh in the 10th minute and Akash Deep in the 53rd minute, as reported.
Pool C: Uttar Pradesh Hockey vs Manipur Hockey
Uttar Pradesh Hockey dominated Pool C, defeating Manipur Hockey with a staggering score of 17-1. Shahrukh Ali was the standout player, scoring 11 goals (5', 22', 23', 24', 29', 33', 35', 36', 49', 49', 59'). Nitish Yadav contributed with two goals (3', 18'), while Captain Kushwaha Ketan (6') and Karan Dhanak (17') also scored. Manipur's only goal came from Maibam Manimatum in the 14th minute.
Pool D: Hockey Madhya Pradesh vs Kerala Hockey
Hockey Madhya Pradesh achieved a commanding 10-1 victory against Kerala Hockey in Pool D. Raiyan Ul Haq scored a hat-trick (5', 34', 36'), with additional goals from Gazee Khan (49', 55'), Captain Ansh Bahutra (15'), Ayush Singh Lodhi (25'), Karan Gautam (37'), Deepak Singh (45'), and Devraj Prajapat (52').
Pool B: Hockey Jharkhand vs Dadra & Nagar Haveli And Daman & Diu Hockey
In Pool B, Hockey Jharkhand secured a narrow 1-0 win against Dadra & Nagar Haveli And Daman & Diu Hockey, with Ashish Tani Purti scoring the decisive goal in the 22nd minute.
Dominant Performances in Division B
In Division B, Hockey Bengal showcased their strength with an 18-0 victory over Hockey Gujarat in Pool A. Munna Kumar Singh was the star, scoring six goals (5', 27', 37', 49', 50', 55'). Sujal Turi (28', 32', 42') and Sujal Balmiki (57', 59', 60') each netted hat-tricks, while Risav Ray (17', 24') and Ratan Bind (24', 29') added braces. Captain Riju Bar (28') and Abhishek Thakur (47') also contributed to the scoreline.
Pool B: Hockey Arunachal vs Chhattisgarh Hockey
In another Pool B match, Hockey Arunachal edged out Chhattisgarh Hockey with a 5-3 victory. Rajbhar Shubham scored three times (25', 33', 38'), while Ashwani Patel (15') and Mohit Yadav (49') also found the net. Chhattisgarh's goals came from Om Kumar Yadav (27', 40') and Gopal Paikra (55').
