Uttar Pradesh Wizards thump Kalinga Lancers by 2-0 in the third edition of the Hero Hockey India League

Bhubaneswar, 31 January 2015: An enthralling match between Kalinga Lancers and Uttar Pradesh Wizards in the third edition of the Hero Hockey India League, played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar today, witnessed the Uttar Pradesh Wizards putting their best foot forward and holding the home team at 2-0 to register an astonishing win in the League. Uttar Pradesh Wizards are now comfortably placed at the second position in the league table with 13 points, after Jaypee Punjab Warriors which is leading with 17 points in the League.

The first quarter of the match saw a tough challenge coming in from both Uttar Pradesh Wizards and hosts Kalinga Lancers. Both the teams were seen striving to make a break-through and take the lead in the match but the defence line-up at both ends held the fort strong and restricted each other from doing any damage. It was only in the 13th minute of the game when Bob De Voogd of Uttar Pradesh Wizards, sneaked his way into the host’s D and sliced in a field goal to give his team a much needed lead in the game.

Kalinga Lancers were seen playing an attacking game in the second quarter of the match and secured good opportunities to open their account in the match but failed to cash on the chances, as goalkeeper PR Sreejesh of Uttar Pradesh Wizards was at his best and foiled all the goal scoring opportunities of Kalinga Lancers. The game witnessed powerful attacks and counter-attacks raining from both the ends, but neither of the two could manage to secure a goal. By the end of the second quarter, the visiting team, Uttar Pradesh Wizards were in lead by 1-0 over the hosts, Kalinga Lancers.

Taking the adrenaline rush a notch higher in the third quarter of the match, Kalinga Lancers secured two penalty corner opportunities within minutes but could not get past PR Sreejesh acting as a wall before the goal post for Uttar Pradesh Wizards. The second goal of the match came from Uttar Pradesh Wizards’ Ramandeep Singh as he fired in a magnificent field goal in the 35thminute and took the lead further ahead at 2-0. Running short on luck as well, Kalinga Lancers failed to convert even a single goal out of the three back-to-back penalty corner opportunities they secured.

The fourth quarter of the match commenced with a lot of excitement as the game witnessed repeated referrals and penalty corner opportunities coming in from both the sides and turned out to be a dramatic one. Where the circle penetration rate of both the sides was almost similar by the fourth quarter, the defenders and the goalkeepers of both the teams were seen giving in their best to restrict the opponent team from causing any harm. Kalinga Lancers’ repeated efforts to score a goal in the match went in vain as the visiting team Uttar Pradesh Wizards secured a comfortable win over the hosts by 2-0.

Hero Goal of the Match: Bob De Voogd (Uttar Pradesh Wizards)
Man of the Match: PR Sreejesh (Uttar Pradesh Wizards)

Next Matches on 1 Feb 2015:
MATCH 1: Delhi Waveriders Vs Dabang Mumbai
TIME: 1700 Hrs IST
VENUE: Delhi
TELECAST: LIVE by Star Sports 2 Star Sports 3

MATCH 2: Kalinga Lamcers Vs Jaypee Punjab Warriors
TIME: 1900 Hrs IST
VENUE: Bhubaneswar
TELECAST: LIVE by Star Sports 2 Star Sports 3