Ganga Kings of Mirzapur secured a hard-fought two-point victory over JD Noida Ninjas to finally open their account in the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) Season 2 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Monday evening.
The contest began on an even footing, with both teams trading points in the early exchanges. JD Noida Ninjas gradually gained control in the first half through aggressive raiding and went into halftime holding an eight-point lead, driven largely by a dominant first-half performance from Rachit Yadav, who caused significant damage in attack.
The momentum shifted decisively after the break as Ganga Kings of Mirzapur raised their intensity. A crucial super raid, which saw three players dismissed, triggered a strong comeback. Ganga followed it up by inflicting an all-out, sharply reducing the deficit and bringing the contest back into balance.
Buoyed by the turnaround, Ganga Kings struck again with another all-out to take a three-point lead. Their defensive unit worked cohesively in the second half to keep Rachit Yadav quiet, preventing JD Noida from regaining control despite his first-half impact.
JD Noida Ninjas attempted a late fightback, but Amit Nagar answered back for Ganga Kings with timely raids that helped maintain the narrow advantage in the closing stages. Ganga Kings held their nerve in the dying moments to seal a much-needed victory.The result marked a significant response from Ganga Kings of Mirzapur after three consecutive defeats, as they showcased resilience and fighting spirit to register their first win of the season. The final score was 44 – 42.
Lucknow Lions maintain impressive form
Lucknow Lions maintained their impressive form, defeating Kanpur Warriors 38–27. Lucknow Lions controlled the contest from the outset, combining aggressive raiding with disciplined defence. They inflicted two all-outs to steadily widen the gap. Arjun Deshwal delivered a crucial super raid, while Lucknow’s defensive unit kept Kanpur Warriors under sustained pressure.
Kanpur showed resistance through Sushant, who finished with 10 raid points, but Lucknow’s overall control ensured they closed out another comfortable victory.
Yamuna Yoddhas down Purvanchal Panthers
Yamuna Yoddhas produced a commanding performance to defeat Purvanchal Panthers 48–31. Yamuna dominated the first half and went into the break with a strong 25–15 lead. The gap widened further in the second half as Yamuna inflicted two quick all-outs, putting the contest beyond reach.
Ritik Sharma proved a constant threat in attack, while Lakshya also made a strong contribution as Yamuna maintained control throughout to secure a comprehensive win.
Brij Stars prove a handful for Sangam Challengers
Brij Stars delivered a strong second-half performance to defeat Sangam Challengers 45–38. Sangam Challengers led by seven points in the first half, but the momentum shifted after the break. A super raid by Nikhil Chaudhary reduced the gap before Brij Stars inflicted an all-out to close within one point.
Sangam briefly rebuilt a small lead, but Nikhil followed up with a crucial super tackle to keep the contest tight. In the closing stages, Brij Stars tightened their defence and capitalised on errors to inflict a decisive all-out, pulling away to seal a comfortable win.
