MillenniumPost
Sports

Waveriders aim to continue winning momentum

Back in the reckoning with two consecutive victories, Delhi Waveriders would be eager to continue their winning momentum and leapfrog in the standings when they take on table toppers Dabang Mumbai in a round robin match of the Hockey India league, here on Wednesday.

The Delhi outfit led by Rupinder Pal Singh will go into the game riding high on confidence after victories over Kalinga Lancers (6-4) and Uttar Pradesh Wizards (8-1) in their last two outings in the fifth edition of the tournament. The match will also provide the Waveriders a chance to avenge their loss against Dabang Mumbai.
When the two teams met earlier in Mumbai, Dabang Mumbai had scored a narrow 3-2 win with Affan Yousuf scoring twice for the hosts while the Waveriders goals came from penalty corners conversions by Rupinder Pal Singh and Justin Reid-Ross.

"We have four more games left in the league and the one against Dabang Mumbai will be a good game and a win will keep our chances of making the semis intact," Waveriders captain Rupinder Pal Singh said. "They (Mumbai) are a tough team to beat and they have good results so far and one of their major plus point is their ability to comeback from a goal deficit to win matches.

"I think we did very well in the past two games and that's given the team a lot of confidence. We were very strong in our defence against Kalinga Lancers which I think was a key factor in our win. We have a specific plan against Dabang Mumbai and I am confident the team will execute it, play to the home advantage and make opportunities count," he added.Having virtually secured their place in the semifinals, Dabang Mumbai will play without any kind of pressure on Wednesday. With 28 points from eight games, German forward Florian Fuchs-led Dabang Mumbai are currently leading six-team standings.

"Last year we missed the semi-finals by goal difference and that was a heart break. This year, it was our clear goal to reach the semis," Fuchs said.

For Dabang Mumbai, the remaining two games will provide them the perfect platform to finetune their game ahead of the knockout stage of the tournament.
Next Story
Share it