Hockey India League 2024/25 Points Table: Updated HIL standings on January 5

Two contrasting matches were played out at the HIL on Sunday - Source: Hockey India League

A Hockey India League double-header witnessed a spectacular seven-goal thriller followed by a more structured and intense contest won by two late goals on Sunday (January 5).

For the third time in succession, the Kalinga Lancers squandered their lead despite dominating play for large periods in their must-win game against the Soorma Hockey Club before crashing to a 3-4 defeat.

The Soorma Hockey Club sounded the warning bells for the opposition in the Hockey India League. Harmanpreet Singh, Jeremy Hayward, and Nicolas della Torre got their act together with the drag flicks.

In the second match of the evening, two final quarter goals helped the Tamil Nadu Dragons register their first win of the tournament after edging the UP Rudras 2-0.

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Vivek Sagar took a nasty blow while attempting to stop an Alexander Hendrickx drag flick in the second minute of play after Enrique Gonzalez won his side an early penalty corner.

Gonzalez was back in the circle a minute later manufacturing yet another corner but Hendrickx's drag flick was stopped on the line. Gonzalez was rewarded for his persistence setting Thierry Brinkman up who tapped the ball past an overworked Vincent Vanasch in the fifth minute.

A Jeremy Hayward drag-flick found its way into the net in the 11th minute enabling the Soorma Hockey Club to draw level.

The Lancers earned their third short corner at the end of the first quarter. Sanjay beat Vincent Vanasch with a powerful lofted drag-flick to make it 2-1 for the defending champions in the 15th minute.

Nicolas della Torre scored the equalizer for the Soormas off a penalty corner five minutes after the long breather. The Lancers had a goal disallowed as the video umpire ruled that the ball had trickled into the net without taking a touch off Gursahibjit Singh's stick midway through the third quarter.

Harmanpreet Singh scored his opening goal of the competition in the 50th minute to help the Soormas take a 3-2 lead.

A brilliant run by Antoine Kina set Gursahibjit up who scored for the Lancers in the 51st minute much to the delight of the crowd at the Birsa Munda Stadium. The joy did not last long as Harish Somappa shot the Soormas back into the lead seconds later.

The Lancers had a golden chance to equalize after being awarded a penalty stroke in the 57th minute but Vanasch stopped Alexander Hendrickx's effort from the spot after a few antics in front of the goal.

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Both sides refused to take risks even as play was restricted between the 23-metre line on both ends when the Tamil Nadu Dragons faced the UP Rudras in the second Hockey India League game of the evening.

Sudev Abharan slotted a deflection into the net after James Mazarelo had stopped a Nathan Ephraums' shot on target following a move orchestrated by Tom Craig in the 48th minute.

Thomas Sorsby netted a second for the Dragons in the last minute to enable the Tamil Nadu side to rise to the third spot in the Hockey India League points table.

Hockey India League: Updated Points Table Men's League Phase (Sunday, January 5)

	PLAYED	WON	LOST	S/O WIN	S/O LOSS	GF	GA	GD	POINTS
Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers	3	3	0	0	0	9	4	+5	9
UP Rudras	3	2	1	0	0	6	3	+3	6
Tamil Nadu Dragons	3	1	0	1	1	5	3	+2	6
Soorma Hockey Club	3	1	1	1	0	5	7	-2	5
Team Gonasika	3	1	1	0	1	6	5	+1	4
Delhi SG Pipers	3	0	1	1	1	5	8	-3	3
Hyderabad Toofans	3	0	1	1	1	5	8	--3	2
Kalinga Lancers	3	0	2	0	1	6	9	-3	1

Hockey India League 2024/25: Men's League Fixtures (Monday, January 6)

Delhi SG Pipers vs Soorma Hockey Club, 8:15 pm IST (Birsa Munda International Hockey

Edited by Ankush Das