Pro Kabaddi League 2019 | Match 40: UP Yoddha vs Haryana Steelers Review | 14th August
Both teams, UP Yoddha and Haryana Steelers had a morale boost in their last match at the Pro Kabaddi League Season 7 after demolishing the defending champions, Bengaluru Bulls. However, to upgrade their rankings on the team points table, both the squads required to clinch a win in this clash.
With a stronger-than-steel captain, Dharmaraj Cheralathan, the Steelers looked ultra-powerful. Not to underestimate the attacking Yoddhas, they were ready to charge on the opponents with full force.
Read to find out how the #ToughPanga between Monu Goyat's UP Yoddha and Vikas Kandola's Haryana Steelers unraveled itself at the Eka Arena by TranStadia in Ahmedabad.
Starting 7s
UP Yoddha: Monu Goyat, Shrikant Jadhav, Ashu Singh, Nitesh Kumar, Amit, Sumit, Mohsen Maghsoudlou
Haryana Steelers: Dharmaraj Cheralathan, Prashanth Kumar Rai, Vikas Kandola, Vinay, Ravi Kumar, Vikas Kale, Sunil
Toss
UP Yoddha won the toss and chose the court.
Vikas, the young prodigy from Haryana, went out for the first raid and returned sans any point. In a positive start for the Yoddhas, Monu Goyat returned with an impressive two-pointer, opening the account for his squad. The defense of the Yoddhas also opened the night with a blast, sending Prashanth off the mat.
A top-class dive by Ravi Kumar on Goyat gifted the Steelers their opening point. A brilliant chain tackle by Prashanth and Sunil put an abrupt stop on Monu's dubki, bringing the score to a tie on five each, in the eighth minute into the battle.
Like an anti-dubki squad, both Prashanth and Sunil were again successful in sending Mohsen from the rival's team to the bench. Despite kickstarting the match wonderfully, the Yoddhas conceded their first all-out in just 13 minutes, placing the Steelers four points ahead.
Haryana, dissatisfied by the referee's decision, claimed a review in the 15th minute of the battle, in favour of Prashanth, which upon inspection, turned out to be successful. Also, Rai picked up two points, courtesy the review.
It was a very happening battle in which the first half concluded with the score 16-12 tilted in Haryana's direction. As the second half commenced, Cheralathan pounced on Shrikant and scored a dazzling point for his squad.
UP's successful tackle in the next raid revived Monu, who had been outside the mat for roughly twelve minutes. Returning in blazing form, the defenders of the Yoddha army inflicted some applause-worthy tackles on the rivals, making a comeback.
In a fitting reply to the Steelers, UP inflicted a superb all-out on their nemesis and captured the lead yet again. Haryana, despite having an amazing first half, were now finding it hard against the Yoddhas after the break.
Sunil from the Steelers completed the fourth high-five of his career against the Yoddhas. Haryana's defense once again brought the score to a tie at 27 each, with the last three minutes remaining.
With just sixty seconds remaining in the encounter, Shrikant, despite his Yoddha-like efforts of saving his team's drowning ship, got tackled and hence suffered an extremely unfortunate all-out, putting the opponents in lead.
The battle eventually ended with Haryana Steelers emerging victorious with the score 36-33. Vikas also completed his super-ten, playing a crucial role in his team's win. In the close-called face-off, both teams did a laudable job, if we keep the scores aside.
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