Kalinga squeeze into final; Mumbai stop Delhi

Indervir Grewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

Kalinga Lancers squeezed through to their second consecutive Hockey India League final after outlasting Uttar Pradesh Wizards in a long and topsy-turvy shootout here today.

The Bhubaneshwar-based team will have another chance at the title when they will take on first-timers Dabang Mumbai, who denied Delhi Waveriders a chance to go for their second crown. 

Newly crowned FIH Goalkeeper of the Year David Harte’s Man of the Match performance helped Mumbai pull off an unexciting win and extend their dream run. 

Mumbai, who made it to the semifinals for the first time in the event’s history by finishing on top of the pool, didn’t need to repeat their Houdini act again as a 26th-minute field goal from Robbert Kemperman proved enough. 

The Delhi rushers gave the Dutchman too much time to run in from the dotted line — a penalty corner variation to get a field goal — and smash a tomahawk shot into the far corner.

Harte stopped Iain Lewers’ penalty stroke a few seconds later, and it started a string of saves from the Mumbai goalkeeper interspersed with a few costly misses by Delhi. 

Mumbai also missed many chances, created on the counter after Delhi pushed forward, to kill 

off the game; they were denied by the post 

twice. But an “overwhelmed” Florian Fuchs was happy about his team’s performance. 

“Overwhelmed to reach our first final. One of the best Dabang performances today, especially how we performed as a team,” the Mumbai captain said.

Changing fortunes

Earlier, as the temperature dipped with the setting sun, the first semifinal of the day saw a climactic finish. The small but very animated crowd was treated to an eventful shootout that saw a penalty stroke, a German great missing twice, an Indian youngster belying his age, two master keepers at their best, and an Australian keeping his cool amidst taut nerves.

Lancers, who “should have won the match in regular time”, first fell two goals behind in the shootout, then missed the opportunity to win in the teams’ first attempt in sudden death — captain Moritz Fuerste missed 

for the second time in 

the shootout. 

Lancers then came back from the dead when Lalit Upadhyay converted coolly for his second finish in the shootout. Kalinga’s Andrew Charter and Wizards’ PR Sreejesh intimidated the players into missing nine of the 16 total attempts. Finally, Australian Aran Zalewski sealed it 4-3 with a second calm finish past Sreejesh. 

Earlier, Kalinga fought back after going behind to a Florent van Aubel goal in the 4th minute. He deflected in FIH Rising Player of the Year Arthur van Doren’s cross. 

A “nervous” Kalinga came under immense pressure throughout the first half but Charter kept them in the game with many saves. Kalinga then slowed down the pace, concentrating more on keeping possession than finding a goal. 

Wizards, meanwhile, kept missing their chances — as has been the case throughout the tournament — allowing Kalinga back into the game. Devinder Walmiki reduced the lead in the ninth minute, scoring with a deflection after Kalinga messed up the penalty corner. 

Fuerste then did what he has been doing best this season, firing a drag-flick into the bottom left corner, to bring Kalinga back into the game in the 35th minute. Dutchman Billy Bakker scored a field goal in the 46th minute to put Kalinga 4-2 ahead. 

After taking the lead, Kalinga started controlling the game, while the number of errors from the Wizards players increased. It seemed that Kalinga would see the time through, a lapse in concentration saw Wizards equalise in the 58th minute through Akashdeep Singh.

Kalinga coach Mark Hager said: “We should have won it in regulation time. The goal shouldn’t have been conceded.” 

“Great to be in the final for the second year in a row,” Hager added.