Rajasthan Patriots face bottom-placed Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh (preview)

Jaipur, June 15 Rajasthan Patriots, who are currently placed third in the ongoing inaugural season of Premier Handball League (PHL), will aim to go higher when they face bottom-placed Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh in their upcoming clash, here on Friday.

The last time both the sides met was in match number 12, where Rajasthan Patriots got the upper hand on Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh, defeating them 40-37. Mohit Ghanghas' heroics in the match contributed heavily to the Patriots' thrilling victory and also earned him the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Besides Mohit's 15 goals in the game, the Rajasthan Patriots' captain Atul Kumar, who guards the nets for his team, also surpassed the milestone of 50 saves for the season.

"Our next match is going to be important for us as it will not just mark the halfway journey of our team in this first season, but also strengthen our position on the points table. My boys are doing well fitness wise and we will leave no stone unturned to bring joy to our fans, as they have been a constant support to us throughout the league," said Naya Chandra Singh, head coach, Rajasthan Patriots, ahead of the clash with Uttar Pradesh.

On the other hand, the Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh take the field still in search of their first victory in the league. They will have their work cut out against the in-form Indian national team trio of Mohit Ghanghas, Hardev Singh and Sahil Malik.

The opponents of Rajasthan Patriots - the Krida Pvt. Ltd. owned franchise will try to rely on right-back Sukhveer Singh Brar and right winger Bhushan Shinde for goals as well as to uplift the team morale as consistent top performers of their side.

They'll hope to get support from their teammates as well for a first win, however with a confident Patriots side, it promises to be yet another close and exciting contest at the Pink City's Sawai Man Singh Indoor stadium.