HIL: Delhi Waveriders extend dominance
New Delhi, Jan 29 : Few would bet against Delhi Waveriders winning the inaugural Hockey India League. They put up another convincing performance here Tuesday when they beat Jaypee Punjab Warriors 3-0 for the second time in the tournament.
Akashdeep, Andrew Hayward and Simon Child struck for the home team which has been sitting pretty at the top of the standings with 32 points from seven games.
The defeat was Punjab's first in five matches and keeps them at third place with 20 points from eight matches.
Both teams went on the offensive early on without getting the execution right.
It went on the same vein until Akashdeep got Delhi ahead with a stunning reverse hit.
He tried a similar move a minute later but mistimed his shot.
The crowd once again made the contest livelier and danced incessantly to the sound of the dhol.
The atmosphere reached a crescendo as Bollywood star Akshay Kumar made an entry into the stadium.
Delhi took control in the second quarter, penetrating into the business zone a lot more than their opponents.
Punjab got a great chance to equalise but forward S.V. Sunil missed a sitter inches from the goal post.
The half-time break was extended as Akshay Kumar sang a song from his upcoming film "Special 26", enthralling the crowd and players alike.
Delhi continued to have more ball possession in the third quarter.
Their wait for a second goal ended in the 52nd minute when Andrew Hayward converted their second penalty corner, a neat strike that flew past the goalkeeper.
The final segment saw Sunil miss another scoring opportunity for Punjab, his hit from close range hardly troubling the goalie.
Delhi then made it 3-0 in the closing moments of the game, with Child putting it inside an open goal.