PKL Season 11: UP Yoddhas Looking Forward to Playing in Front of Home Crowd as Action Shifts to Noida

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UP Yoddhas assistant coach Upendra Malik is looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd when the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 11 actions shifts to Noida's Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex for the second leg from Sunday (November 10).

In a thrilling PKL Season 11 match, the UP Yoddhas faced a narrow defeat against Jaipur Pink Panthers with a score of 33-30 at the GMCB Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday (November 5).

Despite the loss, the UP Yoddhas showcased remarkable defensive prowess throughout the match. With the narrow defeat behind them, Malik emphasized the positives as they return their home stadium in Noida for the next leg of PKL 11.

"We are looking forward to our home leg and the support of our fans. Our objective is to win future games by harnessing the enthusiasm of our home crowd," Malik was quoted as saying in a release.

Speaking about the team's performance, UP Yoddhas' Assistant Coach Malik said, "The team showed great promise in the initial minutes of the game. The turning point came through the exceptional performances of Sumit and Hitesh, who displayed remarkable coordination in defense. However, a few small defensive errors in crucial moments shifted the momentum of the match."

The match highlights included a spectacular Super Tackle by Sumit to dismiss Arjun of Jaipur Pink Panthers, while Bharat Hooda put up an impressive performance with four Raid Points and one Tackle Point. The first half saw UP Yoddhas leading 17-15, with strong support from Gagan Gowda in attack and Ashu Singh in defense.

Defender Sumit also reflected on the team's performance, saying, "Overall, we played well, but a few mistakes at crucial times definitely had an impact. We need to fine-tune our approach, and we're already focusing on improving for the next match. We will look to bounce back stronger."

In their defensive strategy, the Yoddhas were notably effective in containing the Pink Panthers' dangerous raider, Arjun Deshwal, who often caused problems in previous encounters.

Malik explained, "We focused specifically on Arjun today, and our strategy worked well. He was less of a threat compared to earlier games, and they were forced to rely on bonus points to get through."

In spite of the close match and narrow loss by a few points, UP Yoddhas defensive coordination and strategy improved significantly which bodes well for their next home leg in Noida.

The UP Yoddhas, who are currently fourth in the PKL 2024 points table with three wins an four defeats in 7 matches, are now looking forward to defeating U Mumba in the Noida leg opener on November 10.

Source: Media Release