HIL 2024-25: Vedanta Kalinga Lancers triumph over Team Gonasika in a tense encounter

Rourkela, Jan 9 (NationPress) The Vedanta Kalinga Lancers clinched their second consecutive victory of the season, overcoming Team Gonasika 2-1 in their Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 match held at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Thursday. Antoine Kina (28`) and Aran Zalewski (33`) scored for the Kalinga Lancers, while SV Sunil (14`) contributed the lone goal for Team Gonasika.

This victory propels the Lancers to third place in the league standings with a total of seven points, while Gonasika finds themselves in seventh with four points.

In their previous two matches, the Kalinga Lancers took an early lead within the first five minutes, thanks to Thierry Brinkman. However, on Thursday, Gonasika managed to dominate possession initially and had the first legitimate opportunity of the game, which SV Sunil failed to convert from a promising position. The Lancers earned the first penalty corner after a notable run from Gursahibjit Singh, but Alexander Hendrickx’s drag flick went wide of the goal.

The first breakthrough occurred in the 14th minute when Sunil scored his second goal of the tournament. From a free hit, the ball was played to Jack Waller, who squared it across the goal, allowing Sunil to score past Krishan Bahadur Pathak in goal. Araijeet Singh Hundal nearly doubled the lead for his team in the 21st minute, receiving a pass from Waller but sending his shot well off target.

The Lancers finally equalized in the 28th minute when Antoine Kina skillfully maneuvered into the circle before passing to Nicolas Bandurak, who swept the ball past Oliver Payne. However, Umpire Coen van Bunge controversially ruled out the goal after consulting with TV umpire Anand Dangi, despite Dangi finding no reason to disallow it, citing a foul by Kina.

Despite the controversy, the Lancers deservedly equalized in the 28th minute with Kina scoring his first goal of the tournament after capitalizing on a defensive error from Gonasika.

The Lancers had a couple of opportunities but failed to convert as the first half concluded at 1-1. They took the lead in the 33rd minute with a well-executed goal from Aran Zalewski. Hendrickx set up the play inside the circle, and Zalewski deflected it into the net, catching Suraj Karkera off guard.

Gonasika earned their first penalty corner in the 43rd minute, but Struan Walker’s drag flick was expertly saved by Pathak.

The final quarter was marked by cautious play as the Lancers maintained their defense, while Gonasika struggled to create significant chances.

The Lancers could have sealed the match in the 53rd minute, but Dilpreet Singh squandered a golden opportunity after a brilliant setup from Angad Bir Singh, who displayed remarkable skills to navigate past defenders.

As the match neared its conclusion, Gonasika pushed for an equalizer but were continuously thwarted by a resilient Lancers defense. Following a rocky start to the season, the Lancers successfully secured their second consecutive victory.