Hockey India League: UP Rudras return to winning ways, Harmanpreet limps off in Soorma Hockey club’s shootout defeat | Hockey News
UP Rudras arrested their slide with an important 3-1 win against Delhi SG Pipers in the men’s Hockey India League on Saturday. Goals Floris Wortelboer (30′), Kane Russell (43′) and Tanguy Cosyns (54′) helped them move back to No 2 on the points table while Jake Whetton (29′) was the lone goalscorer for Delhi SG Pipers, who are still winless.
In the earlier match, Hyderabad Toofans clinched a shootout bonus point against Soorma Hockey Club after a 1-1 draw. Nicolas Della Torre (8’) gave Soorma the lead in the first quarter but Amandeep Lakra (40’) levelled it up. Worryingly, Soorma’s captain Harmanpreet Singh limped off late in the match and didn’t take part in the shootout.
Rudras, who had lost two straight after starting the tournament with three wins, needed the win to get back some momentum. Their coach Paul van Ass said he felt the team ‘were stuck in their heads’ as they failed to find the back of the net in those two defeats. And they started the match as if they meant business. But for all their attacking endeavour in the first half, their defence lapsed in the 29th minute when Delhi SG Pipers struck the first goal of the match. It was their co-captain Jake Whetton, who did brilliantly in the top of the circle to dribble past defenders to take an ambitious shot on goal controlling a bouncing ball.
Their celebrations, however, didn’t last too long as Rudras’ Wortelboer struck in the very next minute to equalise the score before half time. It was another fine solo field goal. Rudras were able to take lead in the 43rd minute as Russell was on target with a powerful flick. With Delhi pushing for an equaliser, Rudras found a cushion through arguably the best drag flick of the tournament so far from Cosyns, firing a thunderbolt into the roof of the net.
In the first match, Soorma’s Della Torre won and converted a penalty corner to give his side the lead. Hyderabad Toofans created numerous circle entries and shooting chances but the Soorma defence stood up to the task and ensured the first half ended 1-0 in their favour.
In the second half, Amandeep Lakra picked out the left corner of the goal with a powerful flick to equalise for Toofans. It was local lad’s second goal of the tournament. In the shootout, Toofans goalkeeper Dominic Dixon saved Nicolas Poncelet’s attempt to secure the bonus point.
Soorma’s night started brightly but the shootout defeat and Harmanpreet’s injury leaves them with a bitter taste. It is unclear yet what the extent of their captain’s injury is but it was bad enough for him to miss the end of regulation time as well as the shootout where he usually is the first person to step up.
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