The Jaypee Punjab Warriors won the 2016 edition of the Coal India Hockey India League after beating the Kalinga Lancers 6-1 in the final at the Astro Turf Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday. Field goals from Armaan Qureshi, Matt Gohdes and Satbir Singh ensured that the Warriors were third time lucky as they finally clinched the HIL crown after two second-place finishes in the last two seasons.
The opening quarter saw the Punjab Warriors take the lead early on in the 4th minute of the match with a superb reverse flick from Armaan Qureshi that beat the goalkeeper to smash into the back of the net. It was intense stuff after that as Punjab looked to go for more goals, refusing to rest on their already vital 2-0 lead even as the Lancers continued to find their groove in the proceedings.
Neither the Warriors or the Lancers could muster any more goals in the quarter and it remained 2-0 at the end of the opening 15 minutes.
The second quarter saw further action unfold and with six minutes left in the quarter, the Lancers halved the advantage with a penalty corner conversion from Moritz Fürste that brought his side back into the contest and finish the second quarter and with that the first half as well, with a 1-2 scoreline against them.
However, the Warriors bounced back in the third quarter and at a critical juncture, Matt Gohdes scored yet another field goal with 6 minutes left on the clock in Q3 to make it 4-1 in his side’s favour.
Already under enormous pressure, the Lancers were further dented a few minutes later when Satbir Singh slammed yet another field goal to make it 6-1 and virtually seal the deal for his side.
The final quarter saw the Lancers come out in all attack mode, but it didn’t prove to be enough and the Warriors, in their third consecutive final, clinched the title in Ranchi.
