Jaypee Punjab Warriors’ wait for a victory in the inaugural season of the Hero Hockey India League was extended to three games when the host team fell to a 2-1 defeat against Uttar Pradesh Wizards on Thursday. Looking for that elusive win, the Punjab side came out with all guns blazing but a combination of bad luck and an inability to convert four penalty corner opportunities cost the team dear.
With both teams locked at 1-1, an error from Warrior’s goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann handed the lead to the Wizards in the 58th minute and the visitors ensured that there were no last minute hiccups.
Stockmann, who had been outstanding throughout, inadvertently scored an own goal when he a cross into the circle from Wizards’ skipper V R Raghunath clipped his pads and found its way into the net.
Earlier, an instinctive volley from Jeroen Hertzberger had given the Wizards a 17th minute lead before Warriors captain Jamie Dwyer pulled his team back into the match with a close range strike shortly after half time.
“We missed too many opportunities today, or else we would have had a better score line", said Warriors coach Barry Dancer in the post-match press conference. "The team has improved and I am happy with our play. We should have a better game against Mumbai.”
Speaking about his team’s victory, Wizards Coach Roelant Oltmans said: “We are happy with our first game. Our goal keeper (Australian international George Bazeley) performed really well. We changed our strategy in the third quarter and attacked, which worked really well for us.”
Uttar Pradesh Wizards defender Wouter Jolie was named Man of the Match, with team mate and fellow Netherlands international Jeroen Herzberger winning the Goal of the Match award.
Video highlights of this match can be found at the bottom of this page. For more detailed information about the competition, please visit the official website of the Hero hockey India League by clicking here.
Source Material: Hockey India League website
Hero Hockey India League – Essential Details
About the tournament
The Hero Hockey India League (HIL) is a professional competition in India. The tournament, which is organised by Hockey India, is being contested among five franchisee-based teams, with many of the world’s finest international hockey players taking part on the competition. Each HIL franchise has 24 players which include ten foreign and 14 Indian players. The players were acquired in an auction which was held on 16 December. The entire event takes place on home and away basis culminating into multi header playoffs. The first edition of the tournament will take place from January 14th to February 10th 2013. Like the Euro Hockey League, matches will be played in four quarters of 17 ½ minutes instead of two halves of 35 minutes.
The Teams
Delhi Waveriders
City: Delhi
Owners: Wave Group
Captain: Sardar Singh
Head Coach: Ajay Kumar Bansal
Home Ground: Dhyan Chand National Stadium
To see a full list of players, please click here.
Mumbai Magicians
City: Mumbai
Owners: Dabur India Ltd
Captain: Sandeep Singh
Head Coach: Ric Charlesworth
Home Ground: Mahindra Hockey Stadium
To see a full list of players, please click here.
Jaypee Punjab Warriors
city: Jalandhar
Owners: Jaypee Group
Captain: Jamie Dwyer
Head Coach: Barry Dancer
Home Ground: Surjeet Hockey Stadium
To see a full list of players, please click here.
Ranchi Rhinos
City: Ranchi
Owners: Patel-Uniexel group
Captain: Moritz Fürste
Head Coach: Gregg Clark
Home Ground: Astroturf Hockey Stadium
To see a full list of players, please click here.
Uttar Pradesh Wizards
City: Lucknow
Owners: Sahara India Pariwar
Captain: V.R. Raghunath
Head Coach: Roelant Oltmans
Home Ground: Dhyan Chand Astroturf Stadium
To see a full list of players, please click here.
Useful Links
Official Website: Keep up to speed with all of the official tournament details, including news, photos, fixtures, results, league tables, teams lists and playing venues at http://league.hockeyindia.org/
Social Media: The extensive and detailed Hero Hockey India League Facebook page is updated regularly and this is expected to continue throughout the tournament. You can view this at the following link:http://www.facebook.com/TheHockeyIndiaLeague. To follow the action on Twitter, visithttps://twitter.com/HockeyIndiaLeag or use the Hashtag #HIL.
You Tube & Live Streaming: The Official Hockey India League you Tube page has a selection of cool promotional videos and, according to the site itself, will also be providing exclusive live streaming free of charge. You can visit the official you Tube page by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/thehockeyindialeague
For those of you who are interested in seeing a video of the player auction, please click the following link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=keQejpV5OBs
