In week four of the Coal India Hockey India League, Ranchi Rays recovered from a defeat at Delhi Waveriders to seal crucial home wins against Uttar Pradesh Wizards and Dabang Mumbai to become the first team to qualify for the competition's semi-finals.
The Rays’ visit to the Indian capital last Thursday (11 February) was not a happy one as Waveriders Head Coach Cedric D’Sousa masterminded a brilliant victory for the home side, with Mandeep Singh and Talwinder Singh both netting doubles as Delhi won 7-4.
The Rays bounced back on Saturday (13 February) with a superb 6-0 win over the Wizards before battling to a 1-0 victory over Mumbai on Sunday (14 February) to make it five wins from five matches at Ranchi’s Jharkhand Stadium, which is, rather significantly, the host venue of this weekend’s showpiece semi-final and final matches.
Saturday’s win over the Wizards came courtesy of three field goals - which count double in this year’s League - with Australian international attacker Flynn Ogilvie, Great Britain star Ashley Jackson and Sumit Kumar all scoring to confirm Ranchi as the first team to seal a place in the semi-finals.
Midfield ace and team captain Jackson was also on target in Sunday’s showdown against Dabang Mumbai, netting the only goal of the game with a trademark penalty corner to move his team onto 37 points in Ranchi’s final match of the league phase.
For Ranchi, a first place finish in the league phase sets up a semi-final meeting against the team that finishes in fourth place, with the other semi-final being contested with the teams that finish in second and third place respectively.
As it stands, Ranchi Rays are the only team absolutely guaranteed of competing in the semi-finals, although second placed Jaypee Punjab Warriors all but cemented their participation in the title matches with a hard earned 4-4 draw at home against Kalinga Lancers on Monday (15 February).
The Lancers moved into a 4-0 lead thanks to field goals from Malak Singh and in-form Dutchman Quirijn Caspers, but high quality strikes from Aussie duo Matt Gohdes and Jake Whetton - the latter a stunning backhand drive from the top of the circle with just two minutes remaining - moved the Warriors onto 29 points at their end of their league campaign.
Kalinga Lancers currently sit third in the standings on 25 points, two points in front of fourth-ranked Uttar Pradesh Wizards on 23. Fifth placed Delhi Waveriders have 22 points while Dabang Mumbai are two points further back in sixth place.
The final two matches of the league phase will be played this week, with all four competing teams mathematically capable of reaching the semi-finals.
Dabang Mumbai play host to Uttar Pradesh Wizards on Tuesday (16 February), while on Wednesday (17 February) Kalinga Lancers take on the Waveriders in Delhi.
To follow all the live action, visit the Coal India Hockey India League website by clicking here.
