Lucknow: Gonzalo Peillat’s successful penalty corner conversion at the dead end helped Uttar Pradesh Wizards hold Kalinga Lancers 2-2 in a match of HIL-V at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium here Friday.
After VR Raghunath scored from a penalty corner in the 15th minute for the hosts, German veteran Moritz Fuerste (15th and 51st) put the visitors on the brink of a crucial victory. But Argentine Peillat found the back of the net after the final hooter to earn two points for the hosts.
In the 15th minute, UP Wizards won a penalty corner and star drag-flicker Raghunath found the back of the net to give his team a crucial lead. Within seconds of the goal, Lancers skipper Furste equalised the score-line via a penalty corner.
In the second quarter, Lancers goalkeeper Andrew Charter shone bright as he pulled off a miraculous save to deny Uttar Pradesh a field goal and a penalty corner. Lancers soon pulled up their socks and as a result they won a penalty corner, and following the missed hit, UP counter-attacked. With goalkeeper Charter at the mercy, Ramandeep Singh failed to find the target, sending the ball wide off the right post.
In the last quarter, Kalinga Lancers came out all guns blazing as they attacked with more pace. After 10 minutes, they got the vital lead when Furste fired in a very similar goal to the first one he scored. But with barely 10 seconds to go for the the hosts won a penalty corner after Pardeep Mor’s defensive infringement.
Pelliat scored with an inch-
perfect hit to the right of Charter to salvage a point for the Wizards.
It was a match that Lancers should have won. But their inability to defend in the final minutes cost them dearly.
Indo-Asian News Service
