The Hindu : Sport : Bangalore Hi-Fliers strikes back at Dynamos

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Bangalore Hi-Fliers strikes back at Dynamos

Vijay Lokapally

It was a contest that brought some skilful moves to the fore

— Photo: AkhilesH Kumar

ON TARGET: Chandigarh Dynamos’ Rajpal Singh is all set to score in the second final of the PHL

CHANDIGARH: “We’ll come back,” asserted coach Ashish Ballal even as Chandigarh Dynamos took a 2-0 lead early in the second quarter. He knew his team really well.

Bangalore Hi-Fliers spring into action from that deficit and carried the ESPN Premier Hockey League into the third finals with a 4-2 victory on a freezing evening here. For the sizeable audience at the Sector 42 Stadium, it meant one more outing here on Friday.

Tushar Khandekar, the dynamic crusader in the Hi-Fliers ranks, was the motivator for the Bangalore outfit. It was a contest befitting the occasion and sent some warm signals for the supporters of Hi-Fliers, few in numbers, but not lacking in spirit. Khandekar controlled the game magnificently and his tireless thrusts down the middle and on the flanks played havoc with the Dynamos. It was a contest that brought some skilful hockey to the fore too.

A goal in the first quarter set the trend and the second quarter set the pace for a wonderfully fought third quarter as Hi-Fliers paid their coach a tribute with their remarkably improved performance.

The inspiration came from You Hyo Sik, the athletic Korean; a solid Bimal lakra, who manned the defence in the company of Vikram Kanth; a marauding Hari Prasad, who was unstoppable on the flanks; an energetic Sandeep Michael, who excelled in off the ball positioning and the never--say-die Arjun Halappa.

Not that Dynamos was a mere spectator but it lacked the punch of the first final that went its way 3-2. Rajpal Singh worked hard but spent five minutes on the bench at a crucial stage from a yellow card. Hi-Fliers, at one point, was without defender Ajay Saroha, V. S. Vinay and Sik but held on to deny the Dynamos much space. The pressure told on the home team once Khandekar decided to take the fight to the opponents with some sensational runs.

The pace was hectic and the teams matched each other with some tactical approach. Hi-Fliers took time to gauge the situation but the second quarter put the team on the course. An error by Len Aiyappa left Hi-Fliers in the arrears when a move by Sukhbir Singh Gill created a chance. Aiyappa failed to clear and Deepak Thakur, lurking at the goalmouth, slotted the ball in.

Brilliant second half

The second half was electrifying. Gill again created a chance and this time Rajpal slammed the ball in by shaking off Saroha. It was a gem of a goal but Hi-Fliers came back strongly within a minute. Dynamos goalkeeper Baljit Singh palmed off a drag flick by Aiyappa but Khandekar flicked the rebound for pusher Michael to score, much to the delight of his mates. Before the quarter ended, Sik levelled the scores following a Khandekar effort that saw Hari Prasad take a swipe. The rebound came to unmarked Sik.

Dynamos was left to defending its goal in the third quarter as Hi-Fliers dictated the game. Khandekar was the inspiring force for Hi-Fliers when he won a ball and found an unmarked Sik with a deft square pass. The Korean made no mistake but soon warmed the bench from an ankle injury. Hi-Fliers now crowded its midfield and looked to counter-attack. The move paid when S. V. Sunil finished a Khandekar move with a superb goal. The goal was a perfect portrayal of Hi-Fliers’ dominance of a match that saw Khandekar in sensational form just when his team needed.

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