Shawn Kalon
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COAL INDIA HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE 2017 RESULTS
Kalinga Lancers beat Dabangg Mumbai 4-1
Kalinga Lancers
Captain – Moritz Fuerste
(3 times Olympic champion for Germany and previous winner with Ranchi Rays)
Coach – Mark Hager
Goal Keeper – Andrew Charter
Dabangg Mumbai
Captain – Florian Fuchs of Germany
Coach – Jason Stacy
Goalkeeper – David Harte
Kalanga lancers, at last, won their first CIHIL, and it was deserving for a team who has got the maximum support from their fans be it filling the stadiums to the hilt or cheering them from the core, have been there with them in both thick and thin whatever the situation the team has been. Whenever a team goes one better than the past, and if it’s becoming champion makes it more special, that’s what KL achieved after the heartbreak in 2016 finals the received from the hands of JPW who this time too finished first but only if the bottom was being considered.
Dabang Mumbai the losing finalist’s had quite a few firsts to their credit like:
1. The first time they topped the league phase by earning 35 points on way to reaching the semi-finals and finals which also were the firsts.
Last few years DM had suffered last minute goal heart breaks, but this time in as many as four matches they reversed the trend and that too was an unexpected first.
But one first they could break the jinx was which ever past league toppers when reached finals never went on to win.
Though the difference of three goals seems big but in reality, it was a seesaw battle, what with DM pressing till the dying moments with series of attacks resulting in penalty corners one after the another. Also with 1 field goal equals to two the difference was only of actually two in the end.
Goal Scorers
For KL
Glen Turner – 18th minute (Field goal)
Mauritz Fuerste – 30th minute (PC),59th minute (PC).
For DM
Affan Yousuf – 33rd minute.
Finals prizes
Goal of the match- Affan Yousuf KL (50k)
Hero of the match- Mathew Dawson KL (25k)
Airtel most entertaining player of the match- Robert Kemperman DM (25k)
Man of the Match – Moritz Fuerste KL (50K)
TOURNAMENT PRIZES
Winners cheque – 2 crores 50 lakhs
Runners up – 1 crore 25 lakhs
Fair play Trophy – Kalinga Lancers
Hero achiever award for upholding the spirit of the game – Florian Fuchs captain of DM (10 lakhs)
Dhruv Batra Maximum Goals
Of 40 lakhs was shared by Glen Turner and Moritz Fuerste of KL (12 goals each)
Ponty Chadha upcoming player of the league
Harmanpreet Singh of DM (20 lakhs)
Most valuable player of the tournament
Florian Fuchs captain of DM
Bronze Medal Match
Uttar Pradesh wizards (5) beat Delhi wave riders (4)
A perfect example of a field goal gets two points UPW trailed till the fag end until they scored the one.
Semi Finals
1st Semifinal
Kalinga Lancers beat Uttar Pradesh wizards in a humdinger which kept everyone on the edge of the seats many a heart skipped their beat.
Such was the topsy-turvy affair can be gauged, it took two sudden deaths and one end of the goal post bar to decide the winner after both teams were tied 4 each after full time.
Penalty shootout -KL (4) UPW (3)
Man of the Match- Andrew charter(GK) KL
2nd Semifinal
Dabang Mumbai (2) beat Delhi wave riders (0)
Man of the match- Robert Kemperman DM
Special mention- To the Goalkeepers of all 6 Franchises for the exemplary saves made which resulted in most matches going right down to the wire.
Hockey has been slowly getting redemption and resurrection in India and COAL INDIA HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE has played a pivotal role especially bringing players monetary interests on par with some sports though still, it’s a long way to go but with Narendra Batra.T
The FIH president at the helm, things will only improve hopefully.
Finally
A grand success on all fronts, be it Excellence, Excitement, Entertainment and the more than 200 goals the teams scored which always is the driving force.