A matter of Child-play for Delhi

BIG PLAYERS make big plays at big moments of matches, and it was evident as Delhi Waveriders came out on top in a thrilling encounter against Kalinga Lancers in the Hockey India League on Sunday. The match was a topsy-turvy affair with the home team leading 3-0 till the 40th minute, but finding themselves 3-4 down with three minutes left, only to convert a penalty corner and score a field goal to grab five points with a 6-4 victory.

It was one of the best games of the current HIL season and big names such as Rupinder Pal Singh, Moritz Fuerste and Simon Child stepped up to the plate when the going got tough.itwaskiwichildwhobecamethehosts’ hero with the winner in the 59th minute.

It was the second successive win for the home team, and though they remain in fifth position, they will now have renewed belief after going winless in their first four matches. The 8-1 thrashing of Uttar Pradesh Wizards had been a shot in the arm for the Waveriders, andtheywerethemorethreateningsideinthe opening exchanges, even though the visitors came closest to scoring in the seventh minute. Midfielder Dharamvir Singh found himself with a bit of space in the striking circle, but his reverse hit was well saved by goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch.

But the hosts’ good approach play was rewarded a couple of minutes later, when the impressive Talwinder Singh was at the right place at the right time to bundle home from close range after a splendid team move from the left flank. Cedric D’souza’s team took charge of proceedings thereafter, and the Lancers were restricted to mounting counterattacks. The big overseas stars among the visitors—fuerste,glennturnerandbillybakker— were effectively shackled in the early going, and when they did find space, the trio failed to make full use of the opportunities.

Theextentofdominanceofthehometeam canbegaugedfromthefactthattheyearnedas manyassixpenaltycornersintheopeningtwo quarters, while the Lancers managed just one. And they went 3-0 ahead a minute before half time, when South African Justin Reid-ross powered a low drag-flick into the left corner past young goalkeeper Abhinav Kumar Pandey, to the delight of a much bigger and livelier crowd at the Shivaji Stadium.

All intensity

Therewasintensityinthewaveriders’display, and they were first to almost every loose ball. Little-known Austrian Benjamin Stanzl also caught the eye with his penetrating forays into the Lancers defence. But top players cannotbekeptquietforlong.thelancerscame allgunsblazinginthethirdquarterandpinned thewaveridersintheirownhalf.itwasfuerste who brought the visitors back into the match whenhisprobingrunandpinpointpassfound an unattended Dharamvir Singh inside the ‘D’ and the India international made no mistake.

Mark Hager’s men also won three penalty corners in the third period, but they went in vain, even though they believed they had scored a field goal off the last one, which was disallowed on referral.

Even Lady Luck seemed to be on Delhi’s sideasgurjindersingh’seffortreturnedoffthe post. But the German Fuerste was not to be denied. With six minutes left, he turned a onegoal deficit into a one-goal lead when he receivedagreatdiagonalpassfromamitrohidas andslammedareversehittomakeit4-3.now the hosts had no option but to charge forward. When they earned their seventh penalty corner, Reid-ross was not on the field and the responsibility fell on skipper Rupinder, who had not had much joy from drag-flicks thus far in the tournament.

Butthelankydefenderrosetotheoccasion andfoundthetopcornertolevelthescore.but thewaveriderswerenotsatisfiedwithashare of the spoils, and with a minute left, the ever lively Mandeep Singh drove into the Lancers ‘D’ and set up Child for an instinctive finish.