Maratha Warriors pip Sultans in shoot-out

Chandigarh, Feb 19 (UNI) Maratha Warriors dropped a crucial point to Hyderabad Sultans by an aggregate 5-3 margin in penalty shoot-out applied for the first time in the Chandigarh leg of the third Premier Hockey League being played at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here today.

After a two-all draw in the regulation period, even the silver and golden goals extra time periods of seven-and-half minutes each could not resolve the deadlock. The win in tie-breaker gave Maratha Warriors two points and Hyderabad Sultans one.

Maratha Warriors played their 10th match are now tied with Sher-E-Jalandhar for the second place with an identical points tally to 16 points apiece. Orissa Steelers are leading the table with 20 points.

In the regulation 70-minute session, Maratha Warriros scored through Shivender Singh (28th) and Hardeep Singh (46th). Hyderabad Sultans who have six points from nine outings got their goals through Didar Singh (38th, penalty corner) and Pakistan player Shakeel Abassi (63rd).

In penalty shoot-out, Marathas scored through Shivender Singh, Jaime Dwyer and Gurpreet Singh. Bharat Chikra and Sandep Antil muffed their tries in one-to-one shoot-out.

For Hyderabad Sultans only Tariq Azil of Pakistan could score through the legs of Maratha Warriors goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza.

Sardara Singh ballooned his try. Rajwinder and Lazrus Lakra were also wayward in their efforts.

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