Bhubaneswar: 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.
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.
Speaking on the win today, Head Coach Roelant Oltmans of Uttar Pradesh Wizards said, “Today our player played very well and winning is always exciting. With this win, our team’s position has got stronger in the League and players are highly motivated. Today's Man of the Match PR Sreejesh has done a brilliant job by maintaining a clean sheet in the match, which is a big achievement for the whole team. Now, we are looking to seal a Semi-Final spot in the league and will work harder to reach the Final.”
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