Sultans edges past Warriors to enter semis

Jan 03:  Hyderabad Sultans dashed down all the hopes of Maratha Warriors after edging them out 1-0 to make the grade for the semifinals of the 4th Premier Hockey League (PHL) played at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium here on Wednesday.

Sultans now join Chandigarh Dynamos and Bangalore Hi-Fliers in the semifinals. Orissa Steelers, has a better chance of becoming the fourth team to make it to the last four stage as they have a better goal difference of three, who play the last league match against Sher-e-Jallandhar on Thursday.

Shers have a minus three-goal difference, and they have to beat Steelers by a margin of over six goals at any cost to have any hopes of qualifying to the last four stage.

Hyderabad got into an early lead in the first quarter that turned out to be the match winner in the end. Sultans held on to the goal and the credit should go to their young defenders Samir Baxla and Diwakar Ram, who thwarted the repeated raids of the Warriors.

Hyderabad Sultans took the lead in the 14th minute as they earned a free hit just outside the circle when the ball hit Warriors' Dhananjay Mahadik's leg. Sultans' skipper Sardara Singh passed the ball to Didar Singh on the right of the circle and the crafty Sardar took a shot at the goal. Warriors' custodian Adrian D'Souza blocked the ball but an alert Johnson Ekka slotted home from close quarters.

After conceding an early goal, Maratha Warriors fought back to dominat the proceedings with more ball possession and had a better share of exchanges but found it tough to get past the Wall of China in the form of Samir Baxla and Diwakar Ram in the Hyderabad defence.

Hyderabad's Dutch import Oscar ter Weeme was at his effervescent best under the post as he was instrumental in saving all the three short corners taken by Maratha Warriors.

Warriors earned three short corners but did not have a penalty corner specialist. Their Dutch import Loijen Melchior tried his hand and sent three powerful flicks but all went in vain as rival custodian thwarted them.

Oscar was declared man of the match. Warriors are out of the tournament finishing with seven points while Hyderabad Sultans have 11 points and are currently third on the table.

Orisssa Steelers will fight it out with Sher-e-Jallandhar in their crucial last league encounter to make the place for the possible semifinal spot later in the evening. Friday will be the rest day and the two semi-finals will be played on Saturday.