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The fourth game of the Hockey India League took place at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi between Ranchi Rhinos and Delhi Waveriders. The match which seemed like heading towards a stalemate finish, ended with a win for Ranchi with Ashley Jackson scoring the solitary goal in the 62nd minute through a penalty corner. Let’s have a look at the heroes and flops of the match
Heroes of the match
Francisco Cortes
The goalkeeper of Ranchi Rhinos, Francisco Cortes, was the difference between a win and a draw for the Ranchi side. The Spanish goalkeeper not only kept Rupinder Pal Singh‘s dragflicks at bay, but also thwarted Delhi’s field attacks with some splendid saves. He also came out on top in a one-on-one situation with Delhi’s Simon Child, which proved to be the turning point of the match. For his brilliant display, Cortes was named the man of the match, making it four games in a row in HIL where the goalkeeper has won the man of the match award.
Ashley Jackson
England’s star player Ashley Jackson proved why he is one of the best players in world hockey at the moment, when he converted a penalty corner for Ranchi in the 62nd minute of the match, which proved to be the deciding factor in the end result. His strike was perfectly executed, where he changed his direction in the last second, hitting it to the left of Hamish Mcgregor, leaving the Delhi goalkeeper clueless.
Gurbaj Singh
Although Delhi Waveriders lost the match, mid-fielder Gurbaj Singh had a good day on the field. He made two crucial goal line saves for Delhi, and proved his mettle for his side. His solid defending helped Delhi keep the score even in the first three quarters.
Flops of the match
Mandeep Singh
India’s rising star and Ranchi Rhinos forward, Mandeep Singh, had an off day today. He failed to capitalize on the goal scoring opportunities whenever it was on offer for him. On occasions, he did not pass the ball to his teammates and took the shot himself, which lead to missed scoring opportunities for Ranchi. Considering his goal scoring prowess, Mandeep was also intelligently marked by the Delhi defenders, which did not allow Mandeep to move freely on the field.
Simon Child
The highly experienced New Zealand and Delhi Waveriders forward, Simon Child, could not deliver when his team needed him the most. In the fourth quarter, he was left one on one with Ranchi’s goalkeeper, Cortes, when he took an extremely weak shot, which was easily stopped by Cortes. Considering his experience, Delhi would want Child to step up his game in the future matches.
