Kalinga Lancers beat Dabang Mumbai 4-1 in a thrilling final to lift their first Hockey India League title in Chandigarh on Sunday. Skipper Moritz Fuerste (30th, 58th) converted two penalty and Glenn Turner (18th minute) scored a field goal, as last year’s runners-up won the fifth edition of the tournament.
The first quarter of the final saw Dabang Mumbai dominate, but they couldn’t get past Andrew Charter, the Lancers goalkeeper. It was the Odisha-based team that struck first when the league’s highest scorer so far, Australian Glenn Turner scored in the 18th. Turner guided a pass from captain Fuerste from outside the D to get on the board, reported PTI.
Mumbai then failed to convert a penalty, thanks to an alert Carter, and these missed chances followed as captain Florian Fuchs and Manpreet Jr came close but could not score. To compound Mumbai’s troubles, Aran Zalewski won a penalty corner for the Lancers and Fuerste scored right past FIH’s Goalkeeper of the Year, David Harte.
The third quarter saw Mumbai get on board when Affan Yousuf converted a penalty corner, but that remained the only goal his team scored.
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Wizards notched a 5-4 comeback win over Delhi Waveriders to claim the bronze medal. Agustin Mazzilli scored a late field goal to help the team get their first podium finish of the tournament. Trailing 3-4 with three minutes to go, the Argentine striker guided Florent van Aubel’s assist from a tight angle to take the lead.