Premier Handball League 2023: Golden Eagles UP register maiden win, Telugu Talons beat Delhi Panzers

Harjinder Singh top-scored for the Golden Eagles with 10 goals.

Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh beat Garvit Gujarat 42-28 to register their maiden win in Premier Handball League 2023, while Telugu Talons came away with a win over Delhi Panzers beating them 26-23 in a thriller.

Golden Eagles UP register maiden win

Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh recorded their first victory in the Premier Handball League 2023 as they defeated Garvit Gujarat in a match that ended 34-28 in their favour.

Both teams were looking for a quick start to the game as they were matching each other blow for blow in the opening minutes of the game. The Golden Eagles however were able to establish a lead thanks to some lethal finishing by Sukhveer Singh Brar, Harjinder Singh and Jyotiram Bhushan Shinde. Uttar Pradesh further extended their lead after some phenomenal saves by Omid Reza in their goal. Despite the best efforts of Avin Khatkar and Harender Singh Nain Gujarat were struggling to score consistently. 

By the 15th minute, the Golden Eagles were leading as the scores read 9-6 in their favour. Gujarat were trying to contain Sukhveer in attack but to little effect as the Golden Eagles’ number 11 was still able to unleash venomous shots despite the intense marking. Tarun Thakur of Gujarat was also struggling to find his finishing touch in attack, which allowed Uttar Pradesh to establish a healthy lead. Soon after the first period ended as the scores read 17-11 in favour of the Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh.

Garvit Gujarat started the second half aggressively as Harender Singh Nain was showcasing his brute force in attack to cut short the deficit. Unfortunately for Gujarat, the Golden Eagles found another gear in attack as Sanchit Kumar came off the bench to add another dimension to his team going forward. In turn, the Golden Eagles further extended their lead. Omid Reza in the Uttar Pradesh goal was putting on a masterclass as he was making astounding reflex saves to help his team pull away further from Gujarat. 

Halfway through the second half, the Golden Eagles had established a considerable lead as the scores read 25-18 in their favour while Gujarat were floundering in attack. The Gujarat players looked deflated going into the last 10 minutes of the game. Captain of Garvit Gujarat Avin Khatkar also came off with a slight knock which dulled Gujarat’s attack further.

In the dying embers of the game, Omid Reza stepped out from his goal and made his way forward to score a stunning goal to put the tie to bed. The match ended immediately after as the scores read 34-28 in favour of the Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh.

Harjinder Singh of the Golden Eagles emerged as the top scorer for his team with 10 goals, while Harender Singh Nain of Garvit Gujarat was the top scorer for his team with five goals. Omid Reza was adjudged to be the best player of the match for his phenomenal saves for the Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh, he even scored a stunning goal in the game and saved two penalties.

Final Score - Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh 34-28 Garvit Gujarat

Telugu Talons defeat Delhi Panzers

The Telugu Talons came away with a victory against the Delhi Panzers in a match that ended 26-23. The match was a gruelling tactical battle which was a delight to watch for the neutrals.

Telugu and Delhi started the game at a blistering pace as both teams were looking to establish a lead. Both teams were evenly matched in the opening minutes of the game. However, a couple of saves from Rahul TK in the Talons' goal saw his team take the lead.

Naseeb and Kailash Patel were being fed dangerous balls by Davinder Singh Bhullar and were scoring with venomous shots from the wings, which saw the Talons extend their lead. The Panzers came back into the game as they got into their attacking groove thanks to Deepak Ahlawat, Bhupender Ghanghas and Jasmeet Singh who scored back-to-back goals to cut short the deficit.

By the 15th-minute mark, the scores read 6-5 in favour of the Talons. The pace of the game slowed down a little from there on as both teams were wrestling to take control of the game and it became a tactical battle. As the teams were exchanging blow for blow, Telugu struggled to establish an unassailable lead. Soon after the half ended as the scores read 13-10 in favour of the Telugu Talons.

The Delhi Panzers came out for the second half determined to cut short the slender lead the Telugu Talons held. Bhupender Ghanghas, Deepak Ahlawat and Ashok Nain were passing the ball fluidly and were finding the back of the net with ease. Nittin Kumar Sharma in the Delhi goal was also doing his bit as he made some amazing saves to allow the Panzers to find a way back into the game. 

Halfway through the second half the scores read 19-18 in favour of the Talons, who were struggling to find the back of the net in the second period. However, the introduction of the Talons captain Shubham Sheoran saw his team wrestle back control of the game. Naseeb, Davinder, Anil Khudia and Shubham were combining expertly for the Talons in attack which saw them establish a considerable lead going into the last 10 minutes of the game.

The Panzers were seemingly running out of steam as the game went on, while the Talons were successfully able to up the ante. The Talons keeper Rahul TK made some spectacular saves in the last five minutes of the game to make sure his team held onto their lead. His saves in the game also saw him become the first keeper in the PHL to make 100 saves. Soon after the game ended 26-23 in favour of the Telugu Talons.

Kailash Patel of the Telugu Talons was the top scorer for his team with seven goals, while Bhupender Ghanghas was the top scorer for the Panzers with eight goals in the match. Rahul TK of the Telugu Talons was adjudged to be the best player of the game for his numerous saves in the game.

Final Score - Telugu Talons 26-23 Delhi Panzers