HIL: Dabang Mumbai, Kalinga Lancers storm into finals

Chandigarh : It will be Dabang Mumbai and Kalinga Lancers to fight it out for the title of the fifth edition of Coal India Hockey India League. Mumbai beat Delhi and Lancers pound UP Wizards to seal the final spot.

Table toppers Dabang Mumbai, led by their skipper Florian Fuchs, rode on a 26th minute field goal by Dutch import Robbert Kemperman to beat Delhi Waveriders 2-0.

Lancers defeated Uttar Pradesh Wizards via penalty shootout after both teams were locked 4-4 as the match went down to the wire. It was only in the sudden death that Lancers won 4-3.

While defending champions Punjab Warriors have already been knocked out of the competition, both Mumbai and Lancers have never won the title earlier.

Barely a minute after Mumbai had scored, Waveriders got the golden opportunity to equalise when they earned a penalty stroke but they failed to convert the chance with Irish import David Harte, who recently won FIH goalkeeper of the year award, standing like a wall.

At the half-time, Mumbai were up 2-0, with field goal being counted as two as per the tournament rules.

Earlier, Lancers Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter, who won man-of-the-match for his efforts, saved several goals for his team, not only in the alloted time but also in the penalty shootout.

Akashdeep Singh of the Wizards pumped in a goal in the dying minutes of the alloted time after the Lancers were leading 4-2.