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The ninth game of the Hockey India League witnessed the Shrachi Bengal Tigers establish themselves as the undisputed leaders of the pack following a third straight win on Saturday (January 4).
The manner in which they beat the Delhi SG Pipers 4-1 was enough to underscore the fact that Colin Batch's team are head and shoulders ahead of the competition thus far. The UP Rudras are the only other unbeaten side having won both their opening matches.
In the second game of the day, Team Gonasika got the better of the Hyderabad Toofans 3-1 to register their first win of the competition.
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Sukhjeet Singh gave the Bengal Tigers the lead in just 23 seconds after picking up an assist from Affan Yousuf with goalkeeper Pawan beaten at the near post. The Tigers also earned themselves the first penalty corner of the contest with Abhishek slotting the deflection into the net off a tomahawk.
The goal was disallowed as the drag-flick was deemed to have been dangerous in the opinion of the video umpire.
The Tigers did manage to take a two-goal lead in the 17th minute with Jugraj Singh sending in an unstoppable drag flick that gave Benjamin Rennie and the post-man no chance whatsoever.
A push in the striking circle proved costly for the Pipers who conceded a penalty corner in the 38th minute. Jugraj Singh scored his second goal of the match and third of the Hockey India League tournament even as Colin Batch's team stretched their lead in style.
Florent van Aubel picked out an unmarked Abhishek who sealed the deal for the Shrachi Bengal Tigers in the 47th minute with a neat tap-in.
A questionable penalty corner awarded to the Pipers for the five-meter rule following a lofted ball in the circle witnessed Gareth Furlong reduce the deficit with a strong drag flick in the 53rd minute.
In the match that followed, SV Sunil got his first goal of the Hockey India League 2024-25 against the Hyderabad Toofans capitalising on a Mandeep Singh cross in the second minute even as Team Gonasika had the better of the early exchanges.
The Toofans managed to manufacture an equalizer against the run of play after a defensive lapse on the part of the Gonasika saw the ball trickle in following a touch from Timothy Daniel in the 12th minute.
Timothee Clement thought he had shot Gonasika into the lead off a tomahawk in the 22nd minute but the goal was overturned as it came off a backstick.
Four back-to-back penalty corners immediately after the long breather enabled Victor Charlet to produce a well-directed drag flick that gave Gonasika a 2-1 lead in the 33rd minute.
A last-minute goal from Nilam Xess after the Toofans had pulled their goalkeeper enabled Team Gonasika to bag full points following the emphatic 3-1 win and move to third place on the Hockey India League points table.
Hockey India League: Updated Points Table Men's League Phase (Saturday, January 4)
Hockey India League 2024/25: Men's League Fixtures (Sunday, January 5)
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers vs Soorma Hockey Club, 6 pm IST (Birsa Munda International Hockey
Tamil Nadu Dragons vs UP Rudras, 8:15 pm IST (Birsa Munda International Hockey
