PKL 11: Ruthless UP Yoddhas thrash Gujarat Giants, enter race for top two spot

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Pune, Dec 19 (IANS) Gagan Gowda played the starring role as the UP Yoddhas delivered a dominant performance against the Gujarat Giants, registering a massive 59-23 victory in a Season 11 clash of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the Badminton Hall of the Balewadi Sports Complex here on Thursday.

Gagan Gowda scored a game-high 19 points, while Bhavani Rajput registered a Super 10 and Sumit secured a High-5 to wrap up a commanding performance for the UP Yoddhas and they extended their unbeaten run to eight games. The game started with fast exchanges as Guman Singh and Gowda got their respective sides on the board. It didn’t take too long for Rakesh to register the first Super Raid of the game, and it was instantly matched by Gagan Gowda as he bagged a Super Raid of his own.

UP Yoddhas began asserting themselves in the game as Bhavani Rajput grew into the match. A tackle from Sumit tackle helped them inflict the first All-Out, taking a five-point lead with the score at 12-7. Gowda then stole the show, completing his Super 10 in the first half itself, as UP Yoddhas clicked into a different gear to create some real separation between the two sides.

Contributions from Mahender Singh, Bharat, Hitesh, and Sumit restricted Gujarat Giants to only four points in the last 10 minutes of the half, enabling UP Yoddhas to close out a dominant first half with the score at 29-11.

It was a defensive clinic from the UP Yoddhas with Ashu Malik setting the tone with the first successful tackle of the second half. Bhavani Rajput secured a successful Do-Or-Die Raid, followed by a tackle from Sumit to inflict another All Out on the Gujarat Giants.

A Super Tackle from Jitender Yadav gave the Gujarat Giants something to cheer about in the second half, but the UP Yoddhas remained ruthless. They gave their opponents no breathing room as they registered a third All Out, pilling on the misery with the score at 47-16. They breached the 50-point mark with under seven minutes to go in the game, and Bhavani Rajput recorded a Super 10.

Guman Singh showed some character for the Gujarat Giants alongside Jitender Yadav, who completed his High-5. However, it was the UP Yoddhas who came out on top rather comfortably in the end, winning by a scoreline of 59-23, giving their hopes for a top-two spot a significant boost.

–IANS

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ISL 2024-25: Both teams hope to build on current form as Mohun Bagan SG meet FC Goa

Fatorda (Goa), Dec 19 (IANS) FC Goa take on defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant in an Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday with both teams hoping to build their current form and maintain the momentum.

FC Goa will aim to improve their record against the Mariners, having lost five of their eight meetings (W2 D1) in the ISL, including a narrow 0-1 defeat in their most recent encounter on February 14, 2024.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s unbeaten run has seen them win seven and draw one of their last eight ISL games, and a win in this fixture would equal their record for the longest winning streak (5) in the competition’s history, achieved twice before (2021 and 2023). For FC Goa, who have scored in each of their last 11 home games, this match presents an opportunity to set a new record for their longest home goal-scoring streak.

The Mariners top the league standings with 26 points from 11 matches, winning eight and drawing twice, whereas the Gaurs are placed fourth with 19 points from the same number of games. Both these teams have been in equally efficient forms upfront, with the Kolkata-based team netting 22 times in the competition thus far, as compared to the 21 of the Manolo Marquez-coached side.

However, the visitors have been comparatively better organised at the back, conceding 10 goals as opposed to the 15 of FC Goa. Mohun Bagan Super Giant have kept the most clean sheets (6) in the league, and the Gaurs rank fourth in this regard (3).

FC Goa on the other hand have a dynamic frontline with versatility in attack. The Gaurs have seen nine different goal-scorers this season, a tally only bettered by Mohun Bagan Super Giant’s 10. This collective effort will be important as they face one of the strongest defences in the league.

The clash will also be a challenge for FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez, who has an uninspiring record against Mohun Bagan Super Giant, winning just three of his 12 meetings with the Mariners (D5 L4). His win rate of 25% against them is his second-lowest against teams he has faced multiple times (18.2% vs Mumbai City FC).

Marquez admitted that the Mariners have a nice mix of international and domestic stars that make them a strong opponent. “I feel that we are playing one of the strongest teams in the competition. Mohun Bagan have most of the top national team players, and they’ve spent a lot on getting good foreigners too,” Marquez said.

Should Mohun Bagan Super Giant score two goals in this game, they will equal their highest goal tally after 12 games in an ISL season (24 goals in 2021-22). Jamie Maclaren tops the charts for them with four strikes, whereas the trio of Jason Cummings, Subhasish Bose, and Manvir Singh follow with three goals each to their name.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant are tenacious tacklers and have been vigilant in breaking the opposition’s offenses, as they are the team with the second-most successful tackles (136) in ISL 2024-25, only behind the 158 of Kerala Blasters FC. Lalengmawia Ralte leads the charge in this front for the Mariners, with 26 successful tackles – followed by Bose (21), Asish Rai (17), and Liston Colaco (13).

Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Jose Molina expressed that his team never gives up the fight irrespective of if the game is going against them. “The mentality of Mohun Bagan Super Giant is to fight every game till the end. We have to attack and defend well, communicate properly, but most importantly we need to keep fighting to get the win,” Molina said.

In the head-to-head series, FC Goa have won twice, whereas Mohun Bagan Super Giant have emerged victorious five times in the eight times these two teams have faced each other in the ISL. An average of 2.5 goals has been scored per match in this fixture.

–IANS

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Next Gen ATP Finals: Tien wins ‘battle of the besties’ against Michelsen to reach final

Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Dec 22 (IANS) American Learner Tien came up with a fine performance to get the better of compatriot and friend Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-setter as his hard-fought win making him the third American to reach the summit clash of the Next Gen ATP Finals here on Saturday. Tien, who went 2-1 in Blue Group play, will face the winner of the second semifinal between Brazilian Joao Fonseca and Frenchman Luca Van Assche in the final on Sunday.

It was his win over Michelsen that made it all possible for Tien.

Over the last 10 years, Michelsen and Tien have developed a strong friendship. They train together in California and compete in Fortnite battles and table tennis duels. However, their off-court relationship was put on the sidelines in Saudi Arabia, where they produced an entertaining battle on Saturday. Their semifinal clash was played in front of a lively crowd and former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, who was courtside at King Abdullah Sports City. The two Americans did not differ much in the opening three sets as they competed in their first ATP head-to-head meeting.

On Saturday, Michelsen powered down serves to dominate Tien physically at times. Still, the 19-year-old responded, outmanoeuvring the 20-year-old with an array of stunning angles and aggressive groundstrokes to pull Michelsen from corner to corner.

However, from the start of the fourth set, Tien dominated. The American, who won seven straight games, locked in on the baseline exchanges and rode momentum in the fifth set to advance after one hour and 36 minutes.

“I can’t put it into words right now,” Tien said following his win after hitting 21 winners. “I am really happy with the win but I hate it was against him, but that is just how it goes. I started smiling when I came out here and saw him on the other side of the net, but I am really happy to get through and think I played really well.”

–IANS

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