PKL Season 11: U Mumba Come From Behind to Stun UP Yoddhas in opening game of NOIDA leg

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Noida, Nov 10: In a gripping encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats, U Mumba claimed a hard-fought 35-33 victory over UP Yoddha in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 game at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Sunday (November 10). It was the first game of the NOIDA leg and entertained the fans till the end.

Despite a strong start by the home side, U Mumba's Ajit Chouhan and Rohit Raghav, with eight points each, emerged as key figures, ensuring that Bharat Hooda's Super 10 performance fell just short of delivering victory for the Yoddhas. UP vs MUM: Match Stats

Early Dominance by UP Yoddhas

UP Yoddhas stormed into the game, taking control early in the first half. Effective teamwork between their raiders and defenders saw them inflict an all-out on U Mumba within the first 5:30 minutes, racing to a 10-5 lead. Bharat Hooda and Shivam Choudhary were instrumental in building this momentum, while stand-in skipper Sumit led a formidable defence from the left corner.

However, U Mumba did not back down. After a slow start, they struck back with an all-out of their own in the 14th minute, closing the gap to a single point (12-11). At halftime, UP Yoddhas clung to a slim lead of 17-16, with only one player in their dugout, while four U Mumba players were out, signalling a tightly contested second half ahead.

Momentum Shifts for U Mumba in Second Half

The second half saw U Mumba taking their first lead of the match, 23-21, midway through. Under the leadership of their skipper Sunil Kumar, U Mumba's defenders tightened their grip, while Chouhan and Raghav showed their prowess in raids, applying consistent pressure on the Yoddhas. Yet, UP Yoddhas retaliated with an all-out on U Mumba, swinging the lead back in their favour.

With just five minutes left on the clock, the teams decided to play do-or-die raids, and UP led narrowly at 29-26. However, in the game's closing moments, U Mumba displayed impressive composure. Ajit Chouhan and Rohit Raghav made crucial raids, helping their team clinch a late all-out on UP Yoddhas, reversing the lead.

Final Few Minutes: UP's Costly Errors

As the final whistle approached, UP Yoddhas stumbled with critical errors, allowing U Mumba to seize the opportunity and pull ahead. Their strategic calm and tactical raids in the last moments sealed a memorable 35-33 victory for U Mumba, who left the Noida crowd in stunned silence.

With this win, U Mumba displayed their resilience and tactical discipline, while UP Yoddhas will look to regroup, especially after missing out on victory despite inflicting an early all-out in the first half.