Team Gonasika and UP Rudras face off in the last of their round-robin league matches in Ranchi on Saturday (January 18), a day before the pool phase of the Hockey India League gets underway in Rourkela.
UP Rudras, who topped the Hockey India League points table for a brief period, have now slipped to the fifth place after having lost three of their last four matches. Team Gonasika are currently in seventh place in the eight-team competition and need full points to rise to the top half of the table.
Gonasika did manage to pull off a 2-1 win against Soorma Hockey Club in the previous game and are high on confidence going into the crucial encounter against Paul van Ass' team, who have been struggling of late.
Kane Russell has scored three goals for the Rudras from the top of the circle, even as the UP side now have a penalty corner conversion rate of 20.7%. Finding field goals, though, hasn't been easy for Paul van Ass' side despite the presence of experienced strikers.
Sam Ward has been the livewire for his team ever since he joined the squad but Lalit Upadhaya has yet to come into his own in the competition.
Uncapped players like Sudeep Chirmako and Jobanpreet Singh have been brilliant in patches while big names like Hardik Singh and Simranjeet Singh have failed to make a mark thus far.
Team Gonasika, however, have been well served by SV Sunil, Nikkin Thimmaiah, and Araijeet Singh Hundal, but have been unfortunate to have ended up on the losing side in two close games.
UP Rudras vs Team Gonasika, Hockey India League match details
Match Details: UP Rudras vs Team Gonasika, League Match, Hockey India League 2024-25
Date & Time: Saturday, January 18, 2025, 8:15 PM IST
Venue: Ranchi, India
UP Rudras vs Team Gonasika: Full Squads
UP Rudras
Goalkeepers: Pankaj Kumar Rajak, James Mazarelo, Prashant Kumar Chauhan
Defenders: James Albery, Lars Balk, Surender Kumar, Sunil Jojo, Kane Russell, Prashant Barla, Sharda Nand Tiwari, Priyobarta Talem
Midfielders: Manmeet Singh, Jobanpreet Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Rafael Vilallonga, Floris Wortelboer, Hardik Singh, Akashdeep Singh
Forwards: Sudeep Chirmako, Sam Ward, Tanguy Cosyns, Zaid Mohammad Khan, Gurjot Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
Team Gonasika
Goalkeepers: Oliver Payne, Kamalbir Singh, Suraj Karkera
Defenders: Tim Howard, Dipsan Tirkey, Sanjeep Nilam Xess, Birendra Lakra, Anmol Ekka, Yogember Rawat, Amir Ali
Midfielders: Jacob Draper, Yashdeep Siwach, Jack Waller, Timothee Clement, Lee Morton, Vishnukant Singh, Sannuvanda Uthappa, Manpreet Singh
Forwards: Nikkin Thimmaiah, Struan Walker, SV Sunil, Victor Charlet, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Mandeep Singh
UP Rudras vs Team Gonasika: Prediction
Team Gonasika's biggest strength is an array of experience up-front, with SV Sunil making an appearance in alternate games, even as Mandeep Singh and Struan Walker pose a constant threat in the attacking circle.
A fascinating battle is on the cards, with Floris Wortelboer having displayed his class for the Rudras in recent games while Sam Ward seems to be getting better with every game for Team Gonasika.
Score Prediction: UP Rudras 2 - 3 Team Gonasika
Where to watch Hockey India League 2024-25 matches in India?
Matches of the Hockey India League 2024-25 will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network and DD Sports and streamed live on SonyLiv and Waves.