Junior Hockey: Punjab launch campaign in style

Lucknow, Sep 5 (IANS) Akashdeep Singh scored four goals, including a hat-trick, to help Punjab blank Chattisgarh 7-0 in their opening match of the junior men's national hockey championship at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium here Wednesday.

Akasdeep Singh scored his first goal in the first half and the remaining in the 54th, 57th and 64th minute to complete his maiden hat-trick in the championship.

Chandigarh, who lost to Karnataka in their opening match, hammered Jammu and Kashmir 10-1.

Karnataka, with two victories in as many matches, are on the verge of making the last eight.

Karnataka had a 5-0 win against Kerala earlier in the day. Captain Aiyappa PR. Paranandan led from the front, scoring two goals in the first 11 minutes. Basvaraj Amdiger, She She Gowda and Mallikarjun Aikur scored a goal each.

Tamil Nadu beat Uttrakhand 5-0 while SAI Bhopal and Maharashtra split points after playing a 1-1 draw. SAI took the lead in the 29th minute through Nitesh, who converted a penalty stroke. But six minutes before the hooter, Kartik Sharma converted a penalty corner to level the score.

Earlier, defending champions Haryana got a walk-over from Assam in pool A as their rivals failed to turn up for the second consecutive day.