Ranchi outplay UP to enter HIL semis

Defending champions Ranchi Rays on Friday displayed their class and routed Uttar Pradesh Wizards 6-0 in a round robin match to seal their semi-final berth in the fourth edition of the Hockey India League.

It was the Rays’ fourth consecutive win on home ground. With 32 points in their kitty from six wins and three losses, Ranchi are atop the leaderboard and are the first team to have booked a semi-final berth in the ongoing HIL season.

Ranchi, unbeaten so far at home, started on an attacking note against UP Wizards. The first quarter saw the hosts playing mostly in the midfield or in the Wizards’ circle.

But UP’s defence line speaheaded by star goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh stood tall to foil all the efforts by the hosts .

Ranchi finally tasted success in the 40th minute through a spectacular field goal from Flynn Ogilvie to ensure a 2-0 lead as according to new scoring rules one field strike is counted as two.

In the fourth and final quarter, Ranchi Rays continued to press hard and tasted success once again in the 47th minute through their second field goal from skipper Ashley Jackson. The hosts sealed the game in the 59th minute through another field strike which came from the stick of from Sumit Kumar.