Affan magic takes Mumbai past Delhi for third win

Mumbai: Dabang Mumbai strengthened their position at the top of the table with a hard fought 3-2 win over Delhi Waveriders in the Hockey India League at Mahindra Stadium here on Monday.

The home team now have 17 points from four games and Delhi are still winless after three games.

A double strike from Affan Yousuf in the later part of the second quarter, one field goal and another off a penalty corner, put Mumbai 3-0 ahead at half time.

Drag-flickers Justin Reid-Ross and Rupinder Pal Singh reduced the deficit through penalty corner conversions but Mumbai held on to make it a hat-trick of wins.

Delhi striker Mandeep Singh had a chance in the 10th minute but couldn’t capitalise.

Mumbai were successful on a counter-attack and Harmanpreet Singh put across a ball for Yousuf in the Dee to tap it below a diving goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch to put his side 2-0 ahead in the 28th minute.

Yousuf was again celebrating as he scored off a penalty corner, after Harmanpreet’s drag-flick was blocked by Vincent and it rolled to Florian Fuchs and Gurmail Singh before Yousuf had the final say in the 30th minute. Waveriders won the challenge for their fourth penalty corner and South African drag-flicker Justin Reid-Ross converted it with precision in the 43rd minute.

Trailing 1-3 in the final quarter, Waveriders went full throttle and Rupinder was finally on the scoresheet with an indirect conversion.