Awesome Delhi assimilates rampaging Rhinos in a thriller

23rd January 2013: Delhi again asserted emphatically its status as a crack outfit, churning out a thrilling 5-4 victory over fighting Rhinos today at Ranchi, where crowd packed every inch of the stand.

When the scoreline tantalizing poised with 4-4 score, Tim Jenniskens, who replaced Taeke Taekema, came out with a stunner that gave the visitors full five points.

Despite struggling in second and third quarters – when it was almost on backfoot against the sustained and well-coordinated attack of Rhinos — Delhi showed the knack of striking goals as per demand. And whenever it needed.

The visitors won the home side 5-4, where their each goal silenced the throbbing crowd.

Two quickies from the host side annulled the visitors 4-2 lead, Delhi did not lose heart, kept up the pace, pressing for another goal. Its pursuit of outright results, instead being content for draw, paid off.

In fact, had the match been of another five, six seconds, Delhi would have struck one more goal, as it did against Mumbai Magicians in the previous encounter: A forward surged capitalising lethargic Rhinos, and the resultant solo put the ball inside the net, only to know a couple of seconds before the sweet hooter has sounded.

Delhi Waveriders have, thus, maintain their invincible trait,having won four of the five matches,while one match at Lucknow ended a 1-1 draw.

With 22 points they Delhi continues to top the points table.

More Details of the match:

Rupinder Pal Singh scored a brace, while Akashdeep Singh, Gurvinder Singh Chandi and Tim Jenniskens scored a goal apice for the winning side. For the fighting but losing side, Ashley Jackson scored a brace, while Justin Ross and Mandeep Singh added one each.

“This is the best match of the tournament so far,” Waveriders’ skipper Sardar Singh said.

Delhi Waveriders were quick of the blocks, and went ahead in the fifth minute. Gurvinder Singh Chandi hit a strong hit from top of the circle. Akashdeep Singh deflected it into the cage, giving Rhinos goalkeeper no chance.

The lead, however, didn’t last for more than eight minutes. Rhinos’ Moritz Fuerste struck a hard hit, towards Justin Ross in the centre of the Delhi circle. Ross had time to stop the ball, swing around, and smack a reverse hit in the left corner.

Rhinos had a chance to take the lead in the 22nd minute, when Moritz Fuerste took the goalkeeper out of his position, beat him, and made an accurate pass to Mandeep Singh, who had to just tap the ball in an empty goal. But Mandeep Singh missed, as it went just inches away from the goal-post.

Five minutes later, Rhinos again had their chance due to a lapse from Sardar Singh. The captain tried to back-pass the ball, but ended up miss-passing it to Rhinos’ Nick Wilson. Wilson beat the lone defender, drew the goalkeeper out, and struck the shot with goalkeeper out of his position, as the ball just went wide of the right post.

Rhinos had to pay for these missed chances in the third quarter, as Waveriders scored twice.

Rhinos did take the lead though, before that. In the 45th minute, they had a penalty corner, and the hit looked like going into the net, before a Waveriders’ defender directed it out with his leg, earning Rhinos a penalty stroke. Ashley Jackson made no mistake, scoring the first goal off a penalty stroke in this tournament.

This time the equaliser took just a minute, Rupinder Singh Pal scoring off a penalty corner.

Four minutes later, Gurvinder Singh Chandi punched one. Danish’s hard hit from the quarter-line of Ranchi went to Chandi, who showed superb presence of mind, great sense of positioning in deflecting the ball into the goal.

Which of course earned him the Man of the Match epithet.

Waveriders then wasted a penalty corner (53rd min) due to a variation they tried.

Four minutes later, Rupinder Singh Pal smacked an absolute bullet, low to the left of Cortes, who had replaced Sushant in the goal in the third quarter, to put Delhi 4-2 ahead.

Waveriders’ two goals had made the crowd go quiet, but it erupted with joy, as Rhinos pulled one back. A bouncing ball came to Mandeep Singh right in front of post, and he smartly directed it in the goal, beating Jacobi.

The last 10 minutes of the game were played at a furious pace. Rhinos got two penalty corners in two minutes, and Ashley Jackson made no mistake with the second one, hitting it low to the right of the goalkeeper.

Just a minute later, in the 64th, it was Waveriders’ turn to earn a penalty corner, and score. Rupinder’s hit was saved by Cortes, but rebound went to Tim Jenniskens, whose hit struck a defender and went in the goal.Rhinos had a chance to equalise in the next minute, but they failed to convert a penalty corner.