Struggling Mumbai Magicians slumped to their 10th defeat in eleven games when they lost 0-1 to Uttar Pradesh Wizards in a must-win game of the Hockey India League at the MHA-Mahindra Stadium, here today.
Magicians, kept alive in the tournament by the rule that a loss by a margin of less than two goals would still earn a point, could not be rescued from elimination despite earning another point.
Wizards, thus, took the fourth remaining semifinal spot in the five-team tournament with their fourth win in 11 games for a tally of 27.
The Wizards have one more game in hand against Delhi Waveriders and a win there will push them to third position in the league standings ahead of Punjab Warriors who have ended their round robin engagements with 29 points to their credit.
The Magicians have another game in hand, against Ranchi Rhinos on February 7, but with only 15 points in their kitty, including one they earned today, they are already out of the semi final running.
{{/usCountry}}The Magicians have another game in hand, against Ranchi Rhinos on February 7, but with only 15 points in their kitty, including one they earned today, they are already out of the semi final running.
{{/usCountry}}Warriors lose
Jalandhar: Punjab Warriors ended the league phase on a disappointing note, being beaten 2-3 by Delhi Waveriders at their home ground here.
Warriors, who have already sealed their place in the semi-finals, lost their second home game in two days.
For Waveriders, yet to be beaten in the tournament, Rupinder Pal Singh scored with a drag flick, before Oscar Deecke and Lloyd Norris-Jones scored a goal each at the Surjit Singh stadium.
'HIL surpasses EURO'
New Delhi: ESPN Star Sports announced that more than 2.27 crore people have seen the broadcast of HIL in the first two weeks.
According to the broadcasters, the full tournament reach of UEFA Euro 2012 was 2.07 crore. At the end of the second week of its inaugural edition, HIL's viewership is almost four times that of the men's Hockey Champions Trophy, which was seen by a total of 58 lakh people across India.