Rajeev Kumar
Bhubhaneswar, Jan 22: In a game that depends more on speed and agility, one who strikes first is often the one who remains first till the end. Kalinga Lancers’s 6-3 victory over Ranchi Rays proved this assertion right in the opening tie of the third edition of the Hockey India League (HIL) at the Kalinga Stadium here Thursday.
When it appeared as if the match has started on a drab note as both sides indulged in short passes in the centre, Lancers’ Argentine import Lucas Villa brought the crowd to its feet. Banking on a build-up by the his teammates, Villa hit a shot which deflected into the net off Rays’ custodian, much to the delight of coach Jude Felix who stood in the dug-out with a victors’ smile. Felix had predicted a Kalinga win Wednesday.
The victory margin for Lancers could have been bigger had they succeeded in converting three back-to-back penalty corner opportunities starting on the 10th minute.
While much of the first quarter belonged to the Lancers, Rays did make a comeback in the game just before the end of it, when Englishman Barry Middleton’s powerful shot proved too hot for the hosts’ goalkeeper Andrew Charter to handle.
Middleton’s joy however, was short-lived as Lancers’ Ryan Archibald struck with a powerful goal in the 17th minute. Soon skipper and man of the match Vikram Kanth (18th) also joined the party as the visitors looked down the barrel.
The problem for the visitors worsened further in the second quarter as their skipper Ashley Jackson received a green card and had to sit out of the ground for two minutes.
Jackson, however, single-handedly attempted to make a comeback with two penalty corner conversions (36th and 50th minutes). Just when it appeared that the Rays would make an inspired comeback with the scoreboard reading 4-3, Charter dashed their hopes with a brilliant save off Jackson’s penalty corner (56th).
The crowd acknowledged Charter’s brilliance with boisterous chants of ‘Kalinga…Kalinga’ in the last few minutes of the game and the hosts’ Mandeep Antil and coach Felix’s ‘dark horse’ Md Amir Khan scored two quick goals (58th and 60th) to seal the fate of the match. Amir was rightfully awarded the golden goal award.
