Graham Reid, the previous India coach who’s now on the helm for Delhi SG Pipers, stated it was ‘nice to be again house’. His workforce was up towards an impressed Ollie Payne in aim for Staff Gonasika – the England goalkeeper was additionally the star of the night time when India and England performed out an exciting 0-0 draw within the World Cup final yr at this very venue. The match ended with Raj Kumar Pal slotting a shootout effort previous Payne, simply because the Indian attacker had famously executed so in India’s sensational backs-to-wall win towards Nice Britain on the Paris Olympics within the quarterfinal.
There was a way of deja vu on the opening night time of the Hockey India League in Rourkela. All of it made for a fantastic spectacle as Delhi and Gonasika performed out a rollercoaster 2-2 attract regulation time to separate a degree every earlier than the previous gained the penalty shootout to earn a bonus level on Saturday. Argentina’s Tomas Domene opened the scoring for the league and notched up the equaliser as effectively for Delhi, both facet of objectives by Struan Walker and Victor Charlet’s objectives for Gonasika. Goalkeepers from either side have been in fantastic kind, however Gonasika’s misses within the shootout proved expensive.
It was an evening the place Indian gamers didn’t get on the scoresheet however performed some spectacular assist roles, with younger Aditya Lalage shining for Delhi, notching up the help for his facet’s equaliser. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, veteran Nikkin Thimmiah, who final performed for India in 2016, put in a superb shift within the ahead line for Gonasika along with his creative stickwork.
Raj Kumar Pal’s penalty previous Oliver Payne to provide @DelhiSG_Pipers their first win of the #HeroHIL season is our Hero Second of Match! #HockeyKaJashn #HILisBack @HeroMotoCorp @VidaDotWorld pic.twitter.com/GiJEvfAZuD
— Hockey India League (@HockeyIndiaLeag) December 28, 2024
India girls’s workforce coach Harendra Singh, throughout his half-time evaluation within the studio, stated he was pleasantly shocked by how the groups appeared to have gelled effectively sufficient already regardless of little time to prepare for the match, as each groups impressed with a few of their connections.
The primary penalty nook of the match resulted within the first aim of HIL’s new season, as Delhi took the lead inside the first 5 minutes because of Domene’s drag flick. However after a sluggish begin to the match, Manpreet Singh-led Gonasika turned issues round impressively. The previous India captain ought to have introduced his facet stage within the opening quarter however after doing effectively to steal in midfield and driving ahead, he utterly mishit a shot on aim.
Gonasika ramped up the stress on Delhi’s defence within the second quarter and it paid off. Nikkin deflected the ball onto the publish with a deft first-touch off a ball into the circle after which Walker tapped into the empty web. Within the second half, Araijeet Singh Hundal gained a PC and Gonasika deservedly took the lead as Charlet transformed with a drag flick.
Delhi had proven barely something attacking-wise since Q1 however a yellow card for Walker opened up the sport for them and Reid’s facet hit again with a person benefit. Domene took up a superb place within the center and Aditya’s neat go into the middle was deflected previous Payne. Gonasika had the higher of probabilities within the endgame however have been responsible of not being scientific in entrance of aim and missed out on taking all three factors.
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