Defending champions Haryana Steelers showed their resolve in a sensational comeback win against UP Yoddhas in a Season 2 match of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the Vishwanadh Sports Club here on Friday. Trailing by as much as eleven points at one point, they scripted a memorable 37-32 victory in Friday’s second game.
The duo of Rahul Ahri and Rahul Sethpal led the way with High Fives, while Naveen Kumar and Mayank Saini made notable contributions for Haryana Steelers. Gagan Gowda registered a Super 10 that went in vain for UP Yoddhas.
It was a scintillating start from Gagan Gowda, setting the tone for UP Yoddhas with a two-point raid. Hitesh kept the pressure on the defending champions with a tackle on Shivam Patare, allowing the Yoddhas to dictate the tempo in the early stages.
Bhavani Rajput opened his account with a successful Do-or-Die Raid, while Sumit soon got into the action with a tackle on Vinay. It took UP Yoddhas only nine minutes to register the first ALL OUT on Haryana Steelers as they extended their lead to six points with the score at 10-4.
Haryana Steelers would have hoped that a tackle from Rahul Ahri might ignite a response from the team, but the door was quickly shut down by Gagan Gowda as he registered a Super Raid.
UP Yoddhas kept the pressure on, swiftly extending their lead to ten points. Haryana Steelers eventually got some momentum on their side, courtesy of a Super Tackle from Jaideep Dahiya. Naveen Kumar also arrived, cutting the deficit to five points with the score-line at 12-17 at half-time.
The defending champions roared back in the second half with Naveen Kumar. A tackle on Gagan Gowda helped Rahul Sethpal inflict an ALL OUT on the UP Yoddhas, helping the Haryana Steelers eventually level the scores at 19-19.
With all to play for, the two teams traded blows without giving an inch to the other. Heading into the final quarter, there was only one point separating the two sides, with UP Yoddhas holding onto a 24-23 lead.
Gagan Gowda racked up his Super 10, keeping UP Yoddhas ahead in the game before the PKL 11 champions responded again. Naveen Kumar was on fire on the offensive end, while Rahul Ahri notched up a High Five to give Haryana Steelers a three-point lead.
Rahul Sethpal soon followed suit, completing his High Five and extending the Haryana Steelers’ lead to five points with under two minutes to play. Mayank Saini also made his presence felt in the raiding unit, playing his part in scripting a magnificent comeback win from the defending champions.
