By IANS
Chandigarh : Bangalore Hi-fliers kept their flag flying high as they beat Chandigarh Dynamos to be crowned champions of the fourth Premier Hockey League (PHL) in a keen contest here Friday.
The Hi-fliers beat the Dynamos 2-1 in the third of the best-of-three finals. This is the second time that Hi-fliers have won the PHL. They last won the 2006 edition, incidentally, beating the same team.
The winner team took away the prize of Rs.4 million ($100,000) while the runners-up got Rs.2 million ($50,000).
The Dynamos team had won the first final Monday beating Hi-fliers by a 3-2 margin. The Bangalore team bounced back in the second game Wednesday beating the Dynamos 4-2.
But the real final was the third game of the best-of-three finals played here where the Hi-fliers continued their domination for most part.
The first goal of the game came just three minutes before the end of the second quarter (half-time) when Len Aiyappa scored after his drag flick took a deflection from Sandeep Singh’s stick and went into the Dynamos’ goal.
The Hi-fliers kept up the pace of their game in all quarters even though the Dynamos had quite a few missed chances. Hi-fliers goalkeeper Bharath Chhetri put up a strong defence and earned the man of the match award.
In the 62nd minute, South Korean You Hyo Sik gave the Bangalore team a 2-0 lead after the Hi-fliers showed perfect coordination in a field effort.
As the Dynamos could see the match and the trophy slipping away from their hands, a last minute effort came from drag-flicker Sandeep Singh who converted a penalty corner to make the score 2-1.
Sandeep Singh of Chandigarh Dynamos was the highest scorer of the PHL tournament with nine goals.