UP Yoddhas, Bengal Warriors play out a thrilling tie

PUNE: UP Yoddhas raced away with the lead and sat comfortably at 25-15 at the end of the first half, but Bengal Warriors put up a spirited fight in the second half and took the lead in the last five minutes of the match.

Bengal captain Maninder Singh was in a position to hand his team a victory when he went in for a ‘Do or Die’ raid in the dying seconds of the match, but the Yoddhas tackled him and tied the game at 41-41 at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi in Pune on Tuesday.

Pardeep Narwal showcased top form in the opening minutes of the match and helped Yoddhas inflict an ‘All Out’ in the 4th minute. Yoddhas kept raging on and effected another ‘All Out’ in the 13th minute to take a huge lead at 20-7.

Maninder picked up momentum and effected a few successful raids, but Rohit Tomar also carried out raids for the UP side and helped his team stay in the lead at 25-15 at the end of the first half. Warriors played with more determination in the second half and inflicted an ‘All Out’ in the 24th minute to reduce the gap between the two sides.

Soon after, Maninder effected a successful raid and Manoj Gowda tackled Pardeep as Warriors continued to chip away at the lead.

Defender Girish Maruti Ernak also joined the party as Warriors was behind by just six points at 26-32. Deepak Hooda pulled off a ‘Super Raid’ in the 30th minute and moments later, the Warriors effected an ‘All Out’ to be within touching distance of Yoddhas’ score at 33-34.

Warriors rode on the momentum and inched ahead at 35-34 in the 36th minute. Thereafter, Maninder came up with a stupendous ‘Super Raid’ in the 38th minute to help his team take a three-point lead at 40-37. Warriors held the lead at 4140 when Maninder went in for a ‘Do or Die’ raid. However, the Yoddhas tackled the Bengal captain and tied the game at 41-41.

RESULTS: UP Yoddhas 41 tied with Bengal Warriors 41; Dabang Delhi 40 bt Telugu Titans 33.