With clinical early goals, and goals in regular intervals subsequently, Delhi Waveriders have extended their invincible imprint again today at Ranchi.

With a 5-2 thumping win today in Ranchi, Delhi has majestically made it to the semifinals, as it has now collected 39 points, 10 ahead next placed team Ranchi Rhinos.

Sardar Singh’s Delhi is the only team not to lose a match, as the Hockey India League has played out 22 matches in 16 action days.

Fit, meticulous and methodical, Delhi raided the Rhino citadel with a vengeance and each time they did so, created an impact on the match.

With otherwise Brindera Lakra and Amit Rohidoss subdued, even the likes of Ashley Jackson and Moritz Fuertz were not their usual stuff as they were till then.

Coach Bansal’s Delhi always pinned their strategy on early goals, and it has so far proved to be the edge between them and the rest.

.

More than anybody else Gurwinder proved so today against the fairly full Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium.

Gurwinder, Simon Child and Norris combined well in the front while Andreas Mir Bel was outstanding in the midfield.

However, it was the difference between two goalies — Jacobi of Delhi and Sushant / Cortes of Rhinos — that told on the final outcome.

Gurwinder Chandi rattles the Ranchi citadel with a twin strike, both goals impeccable field effort, exceeding elegance over each other in the third and seventh minutes.

The Rhinos have not recovered from this shock in the rest of the match

First his forehand was misread by young Sushant Tirkey and then trapping a good pass from Akashdeep Singh he dived and hit the ball hard leaving again Tirkey in tatters.

When Amit Rohidas miscued a defense clearance, Simon Child bounced on it to whack a forehander to make the score 3-0, and then Rhino’s coach replaced Sushant Tirkey but it did not make much difference.

After Mandeep Singh missed a sitter, Nick Wilson dived to his right to send the ball diagonally across the net to bring the score down to 3-1, but Rupinder Pal added one more through a penalty corner (4-1).

Ranchi converted only penalty corner they got through an indirect from Manpreet, but before that Gurbaj entered his name in the scoreboard, trapping a missed ball by Simon Child.

For his robust and impact making game, Gurbaj was later declared as Man of the Match.

This is third match between then two, earlier one won by today’s winners and the other being a 2-2 draw.

Regarding the match, Delhi captain Sardar Singh said: “We don’t take any team lightly as each team has something special in them. Today, our strategy was to play defensive and take our chances, we got the result what we wanted.”

Ranchi Rhinos’ coach Gregg Clark said that they missed many chances in this match rued on missed chances.

“We got good opportunities all through, but we failed to utilise, which cost us the match.”