With the new rule of a field goal counting as two, Stacy took the gamble by going for the full points instead of settling for a draw in the hope that the team tastes its first victory in three games.
It was a split second decision. Down 3-4, Dabang Mumbai earned a penalty corner with about 30 seconds to the clock. They had two choices. First: take the corner, convert, eke out a draw and be satisfied with two points. Second: not to go for the corner, score a field goal, win the game and bag five points.
Mumbai coach Jay Stacy went for the latter.
Unfortunately for the hosts, the brave call didn't work as Mumbai failed to score a goal from the final opportunity to go down 3-4 to Delhi Waveriders in their first home game here on Friday.
With the new rule of a field goal counting as two, Stacy took the gamble by going for the full points instead of settling for a draw in the hope that the team tastes its first victory in three games.
“We were here to win,” Stacy justified his decision after the game. “Would I have been happy with a draw? Probably not. So, no regrets.”
However, the Aussie coach would surely regret his side missing out on seven penalty corner chances, which ultimately was the difference between the two teams. While Delhi's Rupinderpal Singh pounced on two corners, Mumbai converted none. Both teams scored one field goal each, and Delhi forward Talwinder Singh's touch in the 56th minute turned out to be the winner for the visitors.
Mumbai started the game true to their attacking style, but it was Delhi who earned the first penalty corner in the eighth minute. Rupinderpal made no mistake, placing it perfectly on the top right of Mumbai goalkeeper David Harte.
The hosts continued to make circle penetrations thereafter but couldn’t apply the finishing touch. They earned their first penalty corner in the 11th minute but Hamanpreet Singh couldn’t get past the Delhi rusher. Then, almost out of nowhere in the next minute, an unmarked Florian Fuchs slammed a brilliant shot from just outside the D into the low right of Delhi custodian Devon Manchester.
The hosts earned two corners in the second quarter, but Harmanpreet faltered on both occasions. Mumbai made more inroads into the Delhi circle but despite several chances, the hosts went into half time with just a one-point lead.
Chances continued to knock on Mumbai’s door early in the second half. Harmanpreet got two more penalty corner opportunities to make amends but converted none. There was no such problem for senior dragflicker Rupinderpal, though, who equalised in the 39th minute.
Mumbai went ahead in the 54th minute when Harmanpreet scored through a penalty stroke. However, Talwinder's strike a couple of minutes later meant that the hosts' joy was short-lived.
Stopwatch: Dabang Mumbai 3 (F Fuchs 12-fg, H Singh 54-ps) lost to Delhi Waveriders 4 (R Singh 8, 39-pc, T Singh 56-fg); Playing today: Ranchi Rays vs Punjab Warriors, Live on Star Sports 2 at 5.50 pm
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