Imphal, February 13: An improved performance from semi final opponent Himachal Pradesh could not stop hosts Manipur from storming into the final of the 11th Sub-Junior (Under-16) National Hockey Championship being played at Khuman Lampak Hockey stadium.

Manipur will take on Punjab in the summit clash tomorrow at 2.20 pm where the Governor Dr SS sidhu and Manipur Hockey Association president Bijoy Koijam (MLA) would witness the final and closing ceremony as the chief guest and functional president respectively.

Punjab scraped past Uttar Pradesh after a pulsating encounter where the contest stretched beyond the regulation period.

Punjab finally secured the final berth winning 3-2 via the golden goal rule.

Maintaining it tremendous run in the championship, Manipur began the second semi final match with a bang taking the lead as early as the second minute of the match through N Abung's field goal.

Even though, Himachal Pradesh restored parity through captain Ashish Sen in the 21st minute, Kothajit Kh regained the lead three minutes later while L Bikramjit extended the further increased the score tally with a 33rd minute penalty corner conversion.

With Ashish Sen's second goal of the match narrowing the score margin for Himachal pradesh 14 minutes into the second half, O Boniyam sounded the opponent board twice in quick succession to put the match beyond Himachal's reach and guided Manipur to the final with a 5-2 scoreline.

Manipur forced seven penalty corners compared to four by the Himachal Pradesh boys.

The hosts State had defeated the same opponent in the championship lung opener 7-1 while recording a similar score margin win over Chattisgarh in the pre-quarter final stage.

The host State was pitted with Andaman and Nicobar as the third team in pool E but pulled out of the competition.

Manipur had never won the championship with its best ever performance in the national sub junior level competition being securing runners-up position in the Uttar Pradesh edition of the championship five years back.

In the keenly contested Punjab versus UP tie in the first semi final, the former eventually emerged 3-2 golden goal rule winner as regulation period ended with either sides scoring two goals each.

After a goalless first half, Punjab's Ramender Singh converted a 36th minute penalty corner award to break the stalemate.

UP equalised in similar fashion through Diwakar four minutes later before Md Javed put UP ahead with a 47th minute field goal.

Punjab managed to take the match into extra time when Navjot Singh squeezed in the equaliser from the congested UP striking zone only one minute from end of the final hooter.

Navjot was also the toast of the Punjab side when he slammed home the winner one minute from end of the 15 minute extra time.

Punjab produced six penalty corners against two by the UP boys.

Punjab pre-quarter finals topping pool C comprising of UP, Delhi and Nagaland.

Today's matches were played with Indian Hockey Federation observor Khengte (IPS) from Mizo-ram and former Olympian P Nillakomol Singh as special guests.

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