SAI beat MP to enter maiden final; face Haryana in title clash

KOLLAM: Haryana and Sports Authority of India (SAI), Ranchi entered the final of the 10th Hockey India National Senior Women's Championship with hard-fought wins in the semifinals at New Hockey Stadium here on Saturday.
In the semifinals, SAI knocked out Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy (MPHA) 2-1 in sudden death while Haryana overpowered Maharashtra 3-2.
Sunday's final will be the second time the two sides clash in the championship after their first meeting, in a league match, had ended in a 3-3 draw.
Haryana, on a sixth final appearance, will be targetting their second title, to add to the one they lifted in 2013 at Lucknow beating Railways while SAI has never played in a title clash before.
MPHA, Gwalior, have only themselves to blame for ending up on the wrong side in the first semifinal.
They had the upper hand for the major part of the 60-minute match but squandered half a dozen chances including four penalty corners.