s2h Team

HIL Match 1: Hockey India League has returned, delightfully. With new teams adorning new names, with popular brand  Hero in the title, the HIL has hit the turf at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, today.

The grand opening ceremony had to be cancelled as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Dr Manokoan Singh, who passed away on Friday.

Delhi SG Pipers started their campaign on a rousing note, beating Gonasika  4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after both the teams were locked 2-2 at the end of regulation time in the opening encounter of the much-anticipated Hockey India League.

Tomas Domene (5th, 39th) struck for Delhi SG Pipers, while Struan Walker (26th) and Victor Charlet (35th) were the goal scorers for Gonasika during the regulation time which saw both the teams going toe to toe against each other.

Delhi SG Pipers started in right earnest, striking as early as the fifth minute of the match through their first penalty corner when Argentine Tomas Domene converted the opportunity to perfection. He produced a booming drag-flick that zoomed past Gonasika goalkeeper Oliver Payne to take the early lead.

Led by India international Manpreet Singh, Gonasika tried hard to draw level but were are unable to find the equaliser in the first quarter.

Trailing by a goal, Gonasika pressed hard in the second quarter and launched a number of forays into Delhi SG Pipers citadel.

HIL Opening ceremony

Mandeep Singh earned Gonasika’s first penalty corner soon in the second quarter but failed to utilise the chance due to a not-so-great injection.

Gonasika’s efforts finally reaped benefits when they drew level in the 26th minute when Nikkin Thimmaiah’s flick hit the upright and the rebound was driven home by Struan Walker.

In the dying minutes of the second quarter, Delhi SG Pipers secured their second penalty corner but Gonasika defenders combined in numbers to deny their opponents.

It was a neck-and-neck fight between the two sides after the change of ends as both the teams tried to dominate the possession in search of the second goal.

Gonasika took the lead in the 35th minute for the first time in the match when 31-year-old Frenchman Victor Charlet scored with a powerful drag-flick from a penalty corner.

Gonasika’s lead was shortlived as Domene struck again four minutes later, this time via a smart deflection.

Delhi SG Pipers secured another penalty corner in the final minute of the third quarter but Gonasika’s goalkeeper produced a double save to deny their opponents.

Gonasika goalkeeper Oliver Payne came up with two brilliant saves at the start of the fourth quarter but his saves went in vain as Delhi SG Pipers earned another penalty corner for a back-stick inside the opposition circle. Domene stepped up again but was denied a hat-trick by the post.

With both sides unable to take an upper hand at the end of regulation time, the match went into shoot-outs.

In the penalties, Delhi skipper Jake Whetton opened the proceedings successfully for his team while Gonasika’s Struan Walker failed to get past Delhi’s custodian Benjamin Rennie. In the end, Rennie’s smart saves proved crucial, with the Pipers prevailing by a score of 4-2 through conversions from Whetton, Domene, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha and Raj Kumar Pal while Lee Morton and Timothee Clement were the only two to find the net for Gonasika.

The Pipers will be up against Hyderabad Toofans next on 31st December.

Photos: Shamim Qureshi  & Hockey India League