The defending champions Jaypee Punjab Warriors suffered somewhat a shaking and shocking 2-6 defeat on home turf at the hands of ever-improving visitors Uttar Pradesh Wizards here in Chandigarh in the Match No.22 of the Fifth Hockey India League.
With just two wins in six matches, today’s loser is still below semifinal datum line while third win seven games takes to UPW fourth in the points table.
Three Indian players, two are just colts, came out with shining example for striking quick-silver goals, two of them against fearsome, thrice Man of the Match award winning goalie Tristan Clemons.
Two Junior players in the visiting Uttar Pradesh Wizards rank, Shamsher Singh and Vijay Yadav struck a field goal apiece against a long strike by Dutchman Pruijser to give their side 4-2 lead at the end of third quarter.
Shamsher struck when Harbir fumbled with his clearance, much like Amit Rohidoss’ the other day in Delhi. Ajay Yadav was really a stunner, where the ball crashed into the net through the stretched legs of Clemens.
When Clemens was replaced with young Jugraj Singh under the cage so as to pull one more foreign player on the field, Akashdeep Singh, who missed quite a few sitter with harried shots, shocked the new man with a diagonal, reverse shot that just into the cage from the far corner.
For a while, when Dutchman Micro Pruijser equalized with an alert trap after Satbir missed out a cross in front of goalmouth, it seemed the match will turn tighter and tougher, but the home side lost the plot at the midfield, yielding much leeway for the visitors.
It is also interesting to note the teams were not interested in getting penalty corners, instead always go for field effort. The match saw just three PCs in all. Perhaps, the two-goal for field goal weighs a lot with the team think tank, which is surely undermining the insignia of the hockey, the penalty corners.
AWARDS
THRILLING GOAL Rs.50K: Akashdeep Singh
YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD 25k: Shamsher Singh
MOST ENTERTAINING PLAYER: Armaan Qureshi
MAN OF THE MATCH Rs.50K:Ajay Yadav