UP Yoddhas edge past Bengaluru Bulls in a thrilling Pro Kabaddi League encounter
In a thrilling Pro Kabaddi League match, UP Yoddhas triumphed over Bengaluru Bulls in a tie-breaker after the lead constantly changed hands. Despite a strong performance from the Bulls, the Yoddhas sealed victory in the final moments
Hyderabad: The UP Yoddhas edged past the Bengaluru Bulls in a thrilling clash in the Pro Kabaddi League that saw the lead keep changing hands at the SMS Indoor Stadium, Jaipur, on Thursday.
After trailing in the first half, the Yoddhas bounced back with decisive raids and tackles to take control. However, a last-second raid from Alireza Mirzaian pushed the game into a tie-breaker, where the Yoddhas held their nerve to seal victory.
The UP Yoddhas got off the mark right away, with Gagan Gowda scoring in the opening raid. However, the Bengaluru Bulls quickly hit back, as Alireza Mirzaian produced a successful raid to level the score at 1-1. The Iranian star soon gave the Bulls the lead, but the Yoddhas responded strongly with an all-round effort to move ahead 4-3. The Bulls, though, kept their momentum going and opened up a three-point cushion, leading 8-5.
In the opening 10 minutes, the Bulls’ raiders looked sharp, while their defence stood firm, not allowing the Yoddhas to settle. Their solid display ensured they were 11-7 in front heading into the first-half time-out.
On resumption, the Bengaluru Bulls struck hard as Alireza Mirzaian’s successful raid helped them inflict an ALL OUT, stretching their lead to 15-7. The UP Yoddhas, however, refused to back down. They fought back with a few quick points to cut the deficit to 15-10.
Shivam Chaudhary added to the momentum with a successful raid, narrowing the gap further to 12-15. But just when the Yoddhas looked to be closing in, the Bulls’ defence stepped up in style, pulling off a brilliant Super Tackle with under three minutes left in the first half, pushing their lead to 18-12.
The Yoddhas then staged a roaring comeback right before halftime. They turned the game on its head by inflicting an ALL OUT of their own, bringing the score to 17-20. Bhavani Rajput’s smart raid added two more points, and suddenly the Yoddhas were right back in the contest, trailing by just one at 19-20 as the first half came to a close.
The second half began with the UP Yoddhas showing their defensive strength, as they quickly levelled the score at 20-20. However, the Bulls responded well, scoring two points to regain the lead. The contest stayed tight as both sides kept matching each other point for point. With just over 11 minutes left in the game, the scores were locked again at 24-24, keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats.
