Jaypee Punjab Warriors defeated Dabang Mumbai 3-1 in a dominating display to notch up their second win and jump to the top of the table in the Hockey India League here today.
Armaan Qureshi and Christopher Ciriello scored in the ninth (field goal) and 21st minutes respectively as the home side led 3-0 at half time.
Harmanpreet Singh pulled one back for the Mumbai side in the 39th minute.
The Sardar Singh-led Warriors had lost to Delhi Waveriders on January 20 at home after beating Ranchi Rays in their campaign opener on January 19.
For Mumbai, today's loss was their second consecutive defeat after they were beaten by Kalinga Lancers on January 21 in Bhubaneswar.
After today's win, the Warriors jumped to the top of the six-team league table with 11 points from three matches while Mumbai remained at the bottom with two points.
The Warriors were the dominant side from the very start and they took the lead in the ninth minute with Armaan Qureshi scoring a stunning field goal to give his side 2-0 up. Each field goal is counted as two goals.
The home side continued their first quarter dominance to the second and scored from the first penalty corner of the match. Christopher Ciriello stepped up and powered home an accurate penalty corner to extend the home team's lead to 3-0.
Trailing 0-3 at the half time, the Mumbai side fought back and reduced the margin in the 39th minute through a penalty corner strike by Harmanpreet.
The visiting side pressed hard for the equaliser but Warriors goalkeeper Clemons Tristan was upto the task and he made two brilliant saves in the third quarter to keep his side in the lead.
The home side also got a good chance to increase the victory margin in the final quarter but Mumbai goalkeeper David Harte denied them by pulling off a fine save.
