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Ignored by Team India since 2022, a disappointed Odisha forward Shilanand Lakra went to Australia to play Hockey One, their domestic hockey league for HC Melbourne this year. He vindicated his worth, not only scoring a hat-trick in the final today, but also bagging the player of the match award three times in the championship.
Former India defender Dipsan Tirkey was rotting in the wilderness despite winning around seven medals for the country. By leading Team Odisha to title triumph in the Senior National Championship, Dipsan too proved that he has lost none of his abilities as a player as well as a captain.
Defender Nilam Sanjeep Xess, mid-fielder Ashish Kumar Topno and forward Sudeep Chirmako are three other Odisha internationals who staked their claims to return to the National team by putting up impressive performances in the National championship.
Nilam and Sudeep scored a goal each in the semifinals to enable Odisha beat Hockey Manipur 4-2. Earlier in the quarterfinals, Odisha beat Karnataka 3-1 in shootout after play in the regulation time ended in 3-3 draw. Goalkeeper Sahil Kumar Nayak was the main architect of the Odisha win, making three saves in the shootout.
Odisha reached quarterfinals as the Pool-E toppers, winning all three of their league matches convincingly. They beat Hockey Rajasthan 11-1, Le Puducherry Hockey 6-2 and Hockey Arunachal 9-0.
ODISHA SENIOR MEN HOCKEY TEAM:
Goalkeepers: Dilip Kumar Sa, Sahil Kumar Nayak.
Defenders: Kerobin Lakra, Amandeep Lakra, Pratap Lakra, Dipsan Tirkey, Neelam Sanjeep Xess.
Mid-fielders: Ashish Kumar Topno, Sumit Kindo, Mangal Lohar, Prasad Kujur, Amit Kumar Toppo, Sunit Lakra.
Forwards: Rajat Akash Tirkey, Matiyas Dang, Ajay Kumar Ekka, Sudeep Chirmako, Shilanand Lakra.
Coaches & Support Staff: Peter Soreng (Manager), Bijay Kumar Lakra (Chief Coach), Sushil Kumar Kiro (Assistant Coach), Arjun Singh (Physiotherapist).
RESULTS OF ODISHA MATCHES:
6 Nov 2024 (Pool-E League): Hockey Association of Odisha (Amandeep Lakra 2-PC, 46-PS, 49-PS, Matiyas Dang 9-FG, Ajay Kumar Ekka 15-FG, 26-FG, Sudeep Chirmako 17-FG, 48-FG, 58-FG, Kerobin Lakra 29-PC, Rajat Akash Tirkey 50-FG) beat Hockey Rajasthan (Vijendra Singh 57-PC) 11-1. PoM: Shilanand Lakra (Odisha).
8 Nov 2024 (Pool-E League): Hockey Association of Odisha (Amandeep Lakra 11-PC, Nilam Sanjeep Xess 18-PS, Sudeep Chirmako 34-FG, Pratap Lakra 37-PC, Rajat Akash Tirkey 43-FG, Kerobin Lakra 55-FG) beat Le Puducherry Hockey (Nabin Kujur 21-PC, T Arun Kumar 45-PS) 6-2. PoM: Ashish Kumar Topno.
10 Nov 2024 (Pool-E League): Hockey Association of Odisha (Amandeep Lakra 5-PC, 25-PC, Nilam Sanjeep Xess 11-PS, Ajay Kumar Ekka 15-FG, 50-FG, Pratap Lakra 23-PC, Sudeep Chirmako 35-FG, Kerobin Lakra 47-PC, 53-PC) beat Hockey Arunachal 9-0. PoM: Kerobin Lakra.
13 Nov 2024 (Quarterfinal): Hockey Association of Odisha (Mangal Lohar 14-FG, Shilanand Lakra 20-FG, Pratap Lakra 50-PS) drew with Hockey Karnataka (Pruthvi Raj GN 5-FG, Bharath Mahalingappa Kurtakoti 11-PC, Vishwas G 26-FG) 3-3: Shootout: Odisha (Sudeep Chirmako, Matiyas Dang, Sunit Lakra) beat Karnataka (Mohammed Raheel Mouseen) 3-1. PoM: Sahil Kumar Nayak.
15 Nov 2024 (Quarterfinal): Hockey Association of Odisha (Nilam Sanjeep Xess 13-PC, Shilanand Lakra 20-FG, Prasad Kujur 52-FG, Sudeep Chirmako 52-FG) beat Hockey Manipur (Nilakanta Sharma 7-PS, Ganendrajit Ningombam 25-FG) 4-2. PoM: Shilanand Lakra.
16 Nov 2024 (Final): Hockey Association of Odisha (Rajat Akash Tirkey 11-FG, Pratap Lakra 39-PS, Shilanand Lakra 48-FG, 57-FG, 60-FG) beat Hockey Haryana (Joginder Singh 55-PC) 5-1. PoM: Shilanand Lakra.
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TOP: Odisha star forward Shiland Lakra receives the Player of the Match award in Chennai on 6 November 2024.
RIGHT: Players, Coaches, support staff of Odisha Men Hockey Team pose with their Senior National champion trophy and gold medals in Chennai on 16 November 2024.
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