Even as the visiting Delhi Waveriders missed chances like a millionaire, the hosts Kalinga Lancers lapped it up a lone chance it got to walk away with full points in the second match of the Fifth Hockey India League. Gurjinder Singh’s high penalty corner flick turned out to be the lone goal of the match where the visiting Delhi Waveriders had upperhand throughout the sixty minutes proceedings but ended as losers.
Delhi Waveriders missed as many as seven penalty corners, thanks to excellent charges by Amit Rohidoss whereas the Kalinga converted its lone penalty corner it got in the fourth quarter. Its Gurjinder Singh who struck and kept the spirit of full crowd up. His flick hit the roof top.
After a barren first half, the visitors got three penalty corners in succession, but could not convert. Their relentless work upfront got them two penalty corners, one out of successful referral. Rupinder Pal again got the chance but only to see conceding counters.
Goalie Andre Charter who came late, turned out to be the flesh in the thorn for the Delhi team. Some of his stops were nerve wrecking.
After surviving a great deal of effort from the Riders, captain Moritz Fuerste surged to the right of rival circle and was successful in getting his team’s lone penalty corner which saw the light at the stick of Gurjinder Singh.
A successful referral gave sixth PC for Delhi after the third umpire the ball hitting the foot of Pardeep Mor which escaped the eyes of Indian umpire Raghu Prasad, but Rupinder’s effort cut short by chargers. This process gave another PC for Delhi, which they failed to fructify as their effort to convert into field goal did not make way. Their forward pass outside the circle was anticipated and cleared by the alert Lancers.
The first half was event less except a lone penalty corner for the visiting Delhi Waveriders, which Rupinder Pal took only to see the first charger clears very close to him. Kalinga Lancers at that moment had a great chance to make a counter, but mistrapping let the chance go.
Earlier, Mandeep Singh once and Parminder Singh twice had chances to move the scoreboard in favour of DWRs, but the alert goalie in Abhinav Pandey did not let that happen. Kalinga Lancers owed much to the lanky goalie for the clean slat the half time.
Before the start of the match, Hon’ble Chief Minister of the State Shir Navin Patnaik unveiled the Man of the Match Trophy in the presence of Narender Dhruv Batra, president, International Hockey Federation (FIH).
AWARDS
THRILLING GOAL Rs.50K: Gurjinder Singh
YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD: Mandeep Singh
MOST ENTERTAINING PLAYER: Amit Rohidoss
MAN OF THE MATCH Rs.50K: Moritz Fuerste