MUMBAI: Dabang Mumbai continued to live life dangerously, scoring a field goal with 26 seconds to go to defeat Uttar Pradesh Wizards 4-3 in their second Hockey India League round-robin match at the MHA Stadium on Tuesday. The Mumbai outfit had scored a last-minute draw in their opening game against Ranchi Rays on Saturday as well.
It looked like game over for the hosts when Wizards’ Ramandeep Singh scored off a penalty corner in the 59th minute of the game to edge his team to a 3-2 lead. But with 38 seconds left on the clock, Ramandeep fouled Mumbai’s Robbert Kepperman to earn a green card and give Mumbai a restart just outside the ‘D’. The hosts passed the ball with precision to effect a field goal. Gurmail Singh crossed the ball across the face of the goal to Kepperman who slotted it in.
“I think it shows the character of the team, we were aggressive and fought right till the end,” said Mumbai’s head coach Jay Stacy. “I am obviously pleased that we got the last goal. We were aggressive and controlled the third quarter.”
The win helped Mumbai bag five points and jump to two in the League table. Kalinga Lancers are currently on top with two wins from two games.
UP Wizards had the successful Indian captain-coach combo of PR Sreejesh and Roelant Oltmans in the lead roles. Dhanraj Pillay mentored the team from the sidelines and Argentina’s Gonzalo Peillat and Agustin Mazzilli, part of the gold medal-winning squad at the Rio Olympics, were in the squad. But with the team playing only their first game of the League, the magic wasn’t there.
deeptipatwardhan@newindianexpress.com