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The second match of a Hockey India League double-header on Saturday (January 25) will witness the UP Rudras and the Hyderabad Toofans going head-to-head to consolidate their position in the points table ahead of the playoffs.
Paul van Ass' side is in search of their sixth win of the competition, which will help them secure a semifinal spot with a game in hand. The Toofans, meanwhile, are more desperate to earn full points having just three wins to show for their efforts thus far.
The Toofans handed the UP Rudras a 3-0 defeat when both teams faced each other in the round-robin stage of the competition making for an intriguing clash in Rourkela.
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Gonzalo Peillat wasn't on the scoresheet even as Zachary Wallace and Rajinder Singh gave the Toofans a two-goal goal lead in the opening quarter of their previous game against the Rudras. Shilanand Lakra added to the tally with the UP side being unable to beat Dominic Dixon in goal.
Bikramjit Singh and Vikas Dahiya were entrusted with guarding the goal for the Toofans when they played the TN Dragons a couple of days ago. Bikramjit was outstanding in goal during regulation time and also in the shootout thus giving the Hyderabad side the option of fielding a fifth overseas player.
Pasha Gademan's team were on a roll with four wins ahead of the shootout loss against the Dragons and will be keen to keen to regain the momentum in the must-win game.
Paul van Ass told Sportskeeda ahead of the game that the Rudras have had their challenges in the tournament but will go all out for a win on Saturday.
UP Rudras vs Hyderabad Toofans, Hockey India League match details
Match Details: UP Rudras vs Hyderabad Toofans, League Match, Hockey India League 2024-25
Date & Time: Saturday, January 25, 2025, 8:15 PM IST
Venue: Rourkela, India
UP Rudras vs Hyderabad Toofans: Full Squads
UP Rudras
Goalkeepers: Pankaj Kumar Rajak, James Mazarelo, and Prashant Kumar Chauhan.
Defenders: James Albery, Lars Balk, Surender Kumar, Sunil Jojo, Kane Russell, Prashant Barla, Sharda Nand Tiwari, and Priyobarta Talem.
Midfielders: Manmeet Singh, Jobanpreet Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Rafael Vilallonga, Floris Wortelboer, Hardik Singh, and Akashdeep Singh.
Forwards: Sudeep Chirmako, Sam Ward, Tanguy Cosyns, Zaid Mohammad Khan, Gurjot Singh, and Lalit Upadhyay.
Hyderabad Toofans
Goalkeepers: Vikas Dahiya, Dominic Dixon, and Bikramjit Singh.
Defenders: Ravindra Akshay Avhad, Mukul Sharma, Amandeep Lakra, Devinder Walmiki, Gonzalo Peillat, Arthur de Sloover, Jacob Anderson, and Rajawat Sundaram Singh.
Midfielders: Zachary Wallace, Rajinder Singh, Darshan Vibhav Gawkar, Nic Woods, Aakib Rahim Sayyed, Maico Casella, Sumit, and Nilakanta Sharma.
Forwards: Timothy Daniel, Shilanand Lakra, Rohit Singh, Talwinder Singh, and Arshdeep Singh.
UP Rudras vs Hyderabad Toofans: Prediction
While both Gonzalo Peillat and Kane Russel are in good form, the side that manages to come up with creative penalty corner variations is likely to emerge victorious in a contest that appears too close to call.
The Rudras though have the likes of Sam Ward and Floris Wortelboer who could prove to be a handful from open play as well.
Score Prediction: UP Rudras 4 - 3 Hyderabad Toofans
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.
