Hockey India League: UP Rudras vs Team Gonasika, where to watch, preview, prediction, and team news

The UP Rudras will take on Team Gonasika in a Pool B encounter of the Hockey India League on Tuesday, January 21. Three days earlier, a lone goal helped Paul van Ass' side triumph when the two sides faced off in the round-robin stage.

The UP Rudras have won four of their seven matches thus far while Team Gonasika have managed just a couple of wins and are currently placed seventh in the eight-team competition.

If Team Gonasika are to have any chance of making it to the playoffs a win against UP Rudras is an absolute necessity more so since Paul Revvington's will be up against table-toppers Tamil Nadu Dragons in their second pool match.

Team Gonasika had the better of the early exchanges in their previous outing in Ranchi but were undone by a penalty stroke conceded by Manpreet Singh for a push on Sam Ward.

Hardik SIngh's 15th-minute goal was sufficient for the Rudras to earn full points from the game and go into Tuesday's encounter comfortably positioned in the third spot on the Hockey India League points table.

A win for the Rudras will help them draw level with the Tamil Nadu side.

The onus will, however, be on Team Gonasika to make the most of a formidable forward line comprising SV Sunil, Nikkin Thimmaiah, Araijeet Singh Hundal, and Mandeep Singh to keep their title hopes alive.

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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: Tuesday, January 21, 2025, 8:15 PM IST

Venue: Rourkela, 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 have little choice but to employ a full press against the UP Rudras in a must-win encounter. If Paul Revvington's team throw caution to the winds they can end up being a dangerous side with enough firepower up-front to upset the Rudras' defense.

Gonasika will also need to keep a close eye on the marauding Sam Ward who is beginning to combine effectively with Floris Wortelboer and Tanguy Cosyns.

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.