Rourkela, Jan 10 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu Dragons maintained their impressive winning streak as they secured a hard-earned victory over the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers with goals from Karthi Selvam (16’) and Uttam Singh (37’) during a thrilling match in the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Friday.
The first half was tightly contested, with neither side managing to create opportunities in the initial 10 minutes until the Tamil Nadu Dragons shifted into gear. They consistently entered the opponent's circle and nearly took the lead just before the break with a corner, but Jamie Carr made a fantastic save to deny Blake Govers.
However, the Dragons quickly found the net at the beginning of the second quarter when Karthi scored shortly after Uttam delivered an exquisite aerial pass across the goal for him to convert, marking his second goal of the season.
The Bengal Tigers pressed forward in search of an equalizer, yet the Dragons' defense remained resolute. Jugraj Singh unleashed a powerful drag-flick midway through the second quarter, which David Harte deflected onto the crossbar before recovering to block Affan Yousuf's follow-up shot. Sean Findlay also attempted a shot but was thwarted by a determined Harte.
Findlay had a late chance when Sebastien Dockier found space in the circle and shot from a challenging angle, but Harte once again came forward to make an impressive block.
The Bengal Tigers resumed their offensive after halftime, winning a penalty corner in the 35th minute, but Harte was equal to the task, saving Sam Lane's attempt. Moments later, however, Rupinderpal Singh converted a penalty stroke to level the match.
Just a minute later, Tim Cross's shot rattled the crossbar, nearly giving the Tigers the lead. In a surprising turnaround, the Dragons restored their advantage in the 37th minute with a beautiful long pass to Mortiz Ludwig, who set up Uttam for a calm finish to make it 2-1.
The Bengal Tigers squandered three penalty corners in the 39th minute and then missed a crucial penalty stroke in the 44th minute when Rupinder uncharacteristically missed the target.
He had another shot from a penalty corner in the 52nd minute, but his drag flick failed to challenge the goalkeeper. The Dragons faced a difficult situation as they were reduced to 10 men when Ludwig received a yellow card in the 54th minute, followed by Chandan Yadav in the 58th minute. Nevertheless, the Tamil Nadu team showcased a strong defensive performance to secure a well-deserved victory.
This win not only extended the Tamil Nadu Dragons' streak but also propelled them past the Bengal Tigers to the summit of the Hero Hockey India League standings.
