Raipur, October 2026: Chakradhar Champions moved closer to securing a semi-final berth in the Chhattisgarh Hockey League after defeating Rajdhani Royals 4-3 on Saturday. The defeat marked the Royals’ second consecutive loss, pushing the Lalit Upadhyay-led team to the bottom of the points table and making their chances of progressing in the tournament increasingly difficult.
Chakradhar Champions, meanwhile, continued their impressive goal-scoring form to strengthen their position in the competition.
The Champions, playing their second consecutive match in as many days, made an early impact by opening the scoring in the fourth minute. Manish earned a penalty corner, which Yuvraj Walmiki converted with an excellent variation to give his team the lead.
Rajdhani Royals, still searching for their first victory in the tournament, responded within minutes. Roshan Kumar equalised with a powerful tomahawk shot, a technique that has become his trademark in the league. The opening quarter remained closely contested, with both teams matching each other in intensity.
Chakradhar Champions have emerged as a difficult side to beat, thanks to a balanced combination of experienced and emerging players who have consistently found the back of the net.
Walmiki then delivered a long pass from midfield that went beyond the reach of the opposition defenders. Khogeshwar Bag capitalised on the opportunity, producing an excellent deflection to score the Champions’ second goal.
The Champions created a few more opportunities before half-time, although their penalty-corner conversion remained inconsistent, as it had been throughout the tournament.
Their third goal, however, came through another penalty corner. This time, Parampreet Singh directed his effort between the posts, with opposition goalkeeper Himanshu Malik failing to make what appeared to be a straightforward save.
Rajdhani Royals reduced the deficit when Roshan Kumar scored again, converting a rebound from a penalty corner to keep his team in contention.
Chakradhar Champions had to wait longer than expected for their next goal. Parampreet Singh eventually struck again through a penalty corner, unleashing a powerful effort that left Malik with little chance of making a save. Unlike his earlier goal, this was a forceful strike that decisively beat the goalkeeper.
With the match approaching its conclusion, Lalit Upadhyay attempted to revive the Royals’ hopes by converting a penalty corner. However, his late goal came too late to change the outcome, as Chakradhar Champions held on for a 4-3 victory.
Roshan Kumar was named Striker of the Match, while Parampreet Singh received the Player of the Match award for his contribution to the Champions’ win.
Rajdhani Royals will next face Manpat Titans on October 25, while Chakradhar Champions are scheduled to take on the same opponents on October 26.
The victory puts Chakradhar Champions in a stronger position in the race for the semi-finals, while Rajdhani Royals will need to regroup quickly to revive their campaign.
