Hockey Senior National C'ship: Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh sight last-8 berth

Maharashtra downed Chhattisgarh Hockey 9-2 and Bihar defeated Mizoram 4-0 to share top position in Pool H.

Hockey Maharashtra had Venkatesh Kenche (11th) and Tikkaram Thakulla (15th), who added a goal each to the tally. (Representative Image)

Hosts Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh kept themselves in line for quarter-final berths after logging wins in their respective matches in the 11th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship, here on Tuesday.

Maharashtra downed Chhattisgarh Hockey 9-2 and Bihar defeated Mizoram 4-0 to share top position in Pool H.

Both teams with six points each will clash on Thursday to decide who would advances to the quarterfinals.

Maharashtra holds the aces ahead of this clash with a better goal average of +25 as against +6 of Bihar.

The home side was led by a three-goal effort by Taleb Shah (4th, 30th, 55th), Pratap Shinde (34th, 42nd) and Mohd. Nizamuddin (47th, 50th) in a match they dominated but allowed Chhattisgarh Hockey to breach their defence.

Hockey Maharashtra had Venkatesh Kenche (11th) and Tikkaram Thakulla (15th), who added a goal each to the tally.

Chhattisgarh Hockey had Kartik Yadav (16th) and Junaid Ahmed (35th) reduce the margin.