Hockey | Odisha beats New South Wales in international exhibition match

ByPress Release, SportsCafe Editor

11/02/2018

Odisha XI defeated Australian domestic side New South Wales by 5-1 goals in an international exhibition match held at the renovated Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. Both the teams will again face each other in the second game of the series at Biju Patnaik Stadium in Rourkela on November 4.

The match began with a good rhythm as Odisha XI made use of the opening in the first few minutes by scoring two goals. It was Shilanand Lakra who scored the first two goals (At two minutes and 15 minutes respectively). NSWIS swiftly set their pace by taking the second goal within nine minutes of the opening. This goal was taken by Jack Pickering Jersey no. 13. However, it was the counter attack by Captain of the Odidha XI team, Amit Rohidas that was nothing short of spectacular.

The Odisha team continued to dominate the match in the second quarter as well. They opened the match with a fantastic goal taken by Manip Kerketta. As NSWIS tried their best to space a score, Odisha continued to put pressure by not letting them. Some brilliant back-door passes between the teams gave a boost of energy amongst the spectators.

The best performances, however, were justified with Amit Rohidas showcasing his skills on the field with much ease. He even received the Man-of-the-Match award for displaying exceptional skills in the first leg of the two-match series. The last goal from the Odisha XI was brilliantly scored by Prasan Tirkey. The entire match boasted of thorough sportsmanship combined with some nail-biting and jaw-dropping performances.

The second of the two match series will now take place on November 4 at the the Biju Pattanik stadium, Rourkela.