Sudurpaschim and Madhes in the semi-finals of the hockey tournament

Kathmandu: In a thrilling turn of events, the Departmental teams of Army, Police, Sudurpaschim, and Madhes have advanced to the semi-finals of the 4th National Men's Hockey Tournament. In an intense Saturday league stage of hockey, these teams battled it out to secure their spots in the next round, which is being held in honor of the late Girija Prasad Koirala.

Group A saw Tribhuvan Army clinch the top spot, followed closely by Nepal Police in second. Meanwhile, Group B saw Sudurpaschim emerge as the group winners, with Madhes claiming the runner-up position. The first semi-final of the tournament, set to take place on Sunday, will be between Army and Madhes, while the second match will be between Far West and Police Club.

In a spectacular showdown, Sudurpaschim defeated Madhes 5-3 at Shahid Stadium in Biratnagar, with Deepakraj Joshi from Sudurpaschim scoring two goals. Vishal Chhetri and Rupak Dahal of Madhes also put up a fierce fight, each scoring one goal.

Mahesh Nepali from Sudurpaschim was awarded the man of the match title for his outstanding performance. In another match, Gandaki and Karnali drew 2-2, resulting in both teams being eliminated from the tournament. However, the highlight of the tournament was the first-ever night hockey match in Nepal, which took place on Friday night. Ranjan Thapa, the coordinator of the tournament and a former international player, expressed his excitement for the future of night hockey in Nepal, stating that the foundation has been laid for its growth.