Pro Kabaddi 2019, UP Yoddha vs Haryana Steelers: Yoddhas spoil Haryana's homecoming with a cracking victory
UP Yoddha moved up to the fifth spot on the Pro Kabaddi 2019 points table after defeating Haryana Steelers at the Tau Devilal Indoor Stadium in Panchkula on Saturday. A complete team effort ensured the win for the Yoddhas.
Shrikant Jadhav from the Yoddhas became the top scorer of the battle after adding 11 points to his name. On the defensive front, Nitesh Kumar garnered a sum of seven points in ten tackle attempts.
Monu Goyat from UP Yoddha went for the inaugural raid of the night and returned empty-handed. Lanky Prashanth Kumar Rai got caught while raiding and gave away the first point to the Yoddhas.
A mindblowing three-point Super Raid by Vinay finally opened the account of the home team. Five minutes into the highly-anticipated game, the Yoddhas cruised to a 6-3 lead, all thanks to the commendable Super Raid by Surender Gill.
After a Super Tackle by Sumit, young prodigy Vikash Kandola was instantly sent off to the bench, which thereby increased the score difference to four points.
The Steelers struggled to stay afloat, that too despite having a brilliant campaign in the season so far. The jam-packed stadium was desperately waiting for the hot favourites to perform as per the expectations.
The end of the first half saw the UP Yoddha in a 15-11 lead. The defense of the Steelers inflicted seven unsuccessful tackles during the first twenty minutes, despite having veteran skipper Dharmaraj Cheralathan on the mat.
An impressive Super Tackle by Nitesh Kumar on the Steelers' lone warrior Vinay kickstarted the second half. Kandola's controversial raid was asked for a review by the Steelers, who claimed the rival defenders out. Fortunately for the hosts, the review turned up successful, which sent two defenders from the Yoddhas to the bench.
Vinay from the Haryana-based franchise displayed a beautiful performance, pitching in a bunch of crucial points for the trailing Steelers. The 27th minute saw the Yoddhas suffer an ill-fated all-out, which also reduced the massive seven-point score difference to just four.
Using the review system to the fullest, the Steelers asked for a risky bonus, which was declared unsuccessful upon inspection. Jadhav, with a dazzling game, completed his Super 10 with ease.
Two back-to-back top-class Super Tackles by the Steelers' defense yet again brought the score difference to four points. Simultaneously, Nitesh Kumar achieved his High 5, courtesy a power-packed game.
The Steelers, who were already in grave trouble, suffered an all-out with just three minutes left in the clash. With the favourites lagging behind, the whole atmosphere of the stadium grew intense with fans full of nervous energy.
Ultimately, the UP Yoddha emerged victorious against the Haryana Steelers with 37-30 on the scoreboard. The loss conceded by the Steelers didn't change much for them on the points table as they continued to remain in the third position.
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