In a pulsating game of hockey, hosts Delhi Waveriders defeated Kalinga lancers 6-4 at the Shivaji Stadium here on Sunday. It was a topsy turvy game where both teams had the lead at different stages but in the end were separated by Simon Child's field goal in the penultimate minute of the match.
The game started on a positive note for Waveriders as they took the initiative in the first quarter. Unlike earlier games where Mandeep Singh often found himself alone in the attacking half, the Delhi frontline was very active and received good support from midfielder Surender Kumar. Delhi took a 2-0 lead in the ninth minute when Parvinder Singh, attacking from the left, passed the ball to Talwinder Singh who duly obliged, putting the ball into the net. Kalinga lancers started aggressively in the second quarter looking to level the scores, but the Delhi defence, which has been solid throughout the season once again proved good and denied space to the Kalinga forwards.
There was an opportunity for Kalinga when their captain Moritz Fuerste had a shot at the goal but it was blocked by the Delhi goalkeeper. The star of the last game Mandeep was once again busy at the frontline. Delhi managed to earn penalty corners at regular intervals but were not able to convert as Justin Reid-Ross came up with two feeble shots at the goal.
But in the 14th minute Delhi mis-trapped a PC but Reid-Ross was able to take control of the ball and smash it into the net to extend Delhi's lead to 3-0.
After halftime, Kalinga came out attacking and kept the pressure on Delhi's defence. Kalinga's efforts finally paid off in the 40th minute when Dharamvir Singh got a good pass from defender Amit Rohidas who was doing well playing close to the centre-line, and earned a field goal to bring his team back in the game. Kalinga relentlessly kept up the pressure into the fourth quarter as well and it paid off when Fuerste found space in the 'D' and used a reverse hit to score in the 54th minute which put Kalinga forward 4-3.
Pushed into the corner, Delhi started attacking and earned a penalty corner which their skipper Rupinder converted in the 57th minute to level the score. Both teams went all out on attack in the last three minutes of the game but Delhi sealed the deal in the 59th minute when a Kalinga defender failed to clear the ball in front of the goal-post and Simon Child managed to score assuring Delhi of victory.