Premier Handball League: Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh triumph over Telugu Talons

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], June 25 : In the semi-final clash of the Premier Handball League, Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh defeated Telugu Talons by 4-3 in the penalty shoot-out on Saturday at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium.

At the end of extra time, both Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh and Telugu Talons scored 40 points each. Therefore, penalties were conducted to get a winner. Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh won in the penalty shoot-out to book their place in the final.

Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh will face Maharashtra Ironmen in the final of the Premier Handball League on Sunday.

Both teams were looking for a quick start to the game. Omid Reza of the Golden Eagles made a couple of crucial saves to not allow the Talons to take an early lead. While Omid was playing his role brilliantly in goal for the Golden Eagles, Sukhveer Singh Brar and Harjinder Panjeta were leading the charge for Uttar Pradesh in the attack. They were attacking extremely effectively and put the Golden Eagles in the lead early on in the game.

The Talons came roaring back into the game thanks to Anil Kudia and Naseeb Singh, who levelled the scores. Kailash Patel was proving to be as effective as ever the Talons looked to establish a lead, however, Jyotiram Bhushan Shinde and Makesh Poonia of the Golden Eagles were making sure the Talons were not able to hold on to any lead for very long. By the 15th-minute mark, the scores read 7-6 in favour of the Talons.

Every time Telugu took a slender lead the Golden Eagles found a way to equalise the scores. Fernando Nunes made some tactical tweaks for the last 15 minutes of the half. He brought on Mohit Yadav and Chirag Chandel. This resulted in Davinder Singh Bhullar coming to life as he scored back-to-back goals to help the Talons establish a considerable lead.

The Golden Eagles were showcasing great fighting spirit as Vikas and Harjinder were able to score consistently, not allowing the Talons to establish an insurmountable lead. Anil Khudia, who has been one of the most consistent players in the league, was arguably having his best game of the season. He was putting on a masterful display in attack. Thanks to Anil and Kailash Patel the Talons were able to wrestle control of the game and established a healthy lead. As the half came to a close the scores read 16-11 in favour of the Telugu Talons.

The Golden Eagles came out for the second half determined to wrestle back control of the game. Jyotiram Bhushan Shinde, Sukhveer Singh Brar and Vikas Kumar were on song in the opening minutes of the second period as they brought the scores level and even took the lead for an instant. Kailash Patel and Mohit Kumar also were showing their class in attack as they brought their team back into the game.

The match was being played at a frantic pace as neither team was able to establish a considerable lead. Two goals back-to-back by the Golden Eagles Captain Vikas Kumar saw them take the lead. Halfway through the second period, the scores read 24-22 in favour of Uttar Pradesh.

Kailash Patel who was having a flawless game levelled the scores after he powered his way through the Golden Eagles' defence to score two goals consecutively. After the scores were level both teams were neck to neck in attack as they were constantly trading blows as the game was headed for a nerve-wracking final 10 minutes. Davinder Singh Bhullar, Rahul Nain and Kailash Patel helped the Talons take a slender lead, while Joytiram Bhushan Shinde and Naveen Malik pulled the game level again in the dying embers of the game.

The last minute of the game was enthralling as a goal by Davinder Singh Bhullar helped the Talons take the lead but a last-second penalty for the Golden Eagles was converted by Bhushan Shinde as the scores were level at 35 all at the end of the second period.

A highly competitive extra time ensued to determine the winner for Semi-Final 2 and the team that will face the Ironmen in the final. Thanks to Vikas, the Golden Eagles took the lead early on in the first half of extra time. Omid Reza also made three spectacular saves right at the start of the first half of extra time as the Golden Eagles were holding onto their slender lead. The first period of the second half soon came to an end as the scores read 38-36 in favour of the Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh had to hold out for another five minutes of the second half of extra time to book their spot in the first-ever Premier Handball League final.

The Talons started the second period of extra time phenomenally as they looked to get back into the game. Rahul Nain of the Talons pulled one back for his team but Bhushan Shinde at the other end extended the Golden Eagles' lead again.

Soon after Rahul Nain and Kailash Patel scored two goals back-to-back as the Talons levelled the scores again. Bhushan Shinde who had been shining light for the Golden Eagles throughout the game, put them back in the lead. Naseeb Singh made sure that the Uttar Pradesh lead did not last long as the scores were level at 40 all going into the last 30 seconds of the game. Even after extra time, the two teams could not be separated as the first-ever penalty shootout in the PHL beckoned.

Kailash Patel and Jyotiram Bhushan Shinde were the top scorers for their respective teams in this encounter with 15 goals apiece. Jyotiram Bhushan Shinde was awarded the most valuable player of the match.