Lancers beat Mumbai 4-1 to clinch HIL crown

Kalinga Lancers players celebrate a goal against Dabang Mumbai during the Hockey India League-5 final in Chandigarh yesterday

Chandigarh: A determined Kalinga Lancers outwitted Dabang Mumbai 4-1 to emerge winner of the Hockey India League-5 at the Sector 42 Stadium here yesterday.

Skipper Moritz Fuerste (30th, 58th) converted two penalty corners for the Lancers before Glenn Turner (18th minute) struck a field effort for the Odisha outfit, which lost the final last year to Jaypee Punjab Warriors. For Dabang Mumbai, Affan Yousuf (33rd) scored the lone goal from a penalty corner variation.

Mumbai were a bit unlucky in the end when they were denied a goal four minutes from the close due to dangerous play on the TV referral. They also mucked up three penalty corners in final minutes, trying to turn them into field goals to earn two goals. But that ploy flopped miserably.

It was not only a battle between the top two teams on the points table, but also between top German stars Moritz Fuerste of Kalinga Lancers and Florian Fuchs of Mumbai, leading their respective teams.

Before the final, both were tied with 10 each in the goal-scorers list.

So, not only was a maiden HIL crown at stake, but also the chance to become the top scorer. In the end, Fuerste outwitted his counterpart with a brace of penalty corner conversions to lead his side to a much-deserved title.