Men's HIL: Soorma Hockey Club Hand Table-Toppers Kalinga Lancers Their First Defeat

(MENAFN- IANS) Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 (IANS) JSW Soorma Hockey Club delivered a stunning performance to beat league leaders Vedanta Kalinga Lancers 2-1 in Match 26 of the Men's Hockey India League (HIL) 2025-26 season at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

Playing in their final league match, the table-topping Lancers were unable to break down a resilient Soorma side, whose composure kept their slim playoff aspirations alive. Victor Wegnez was named Player of the Match for his magnificent work rate in both attack and defence.

The match began cautiously, with both teams prioritising safety for the first five minutes. The Lancers created the first opening in the 6th minute through Henderson, but the Soorma defence stood firm. Although the Lancers controlled possession, Soorma looked dangerous on the counter, winning the first penalty corner in the 10th minute.

However, Harmanpreet Singh's drag-flick fired wide of the target. The Lancers nearly took the lead in the final minute via a penalty corner, but goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch produced two impressive saves to ensure the first quarter ended 0-0.

The second quarter saw both sides maintaining a disciplined structure. Soorma captain Harmanpreet Singh attempted to set up Lucas Martinez in the 17th minute, but the forward couldn't find the decisive touch. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 23rd minute following a period of consistent passing.

Nicolas Keenan made a surging run from the left flank; while goalkeeper Snowden saved his initial shot, Jeetpal pounced on the rebound to give Soorma a 1-0 lead. Frustrations mounted for the Lancers as they struggled to equalise, culminating in Dilpreet Singh receiving a 10-minute yellow card in the dying moments of the half.

Starting the second half with a man advantage, Soorma applied immediate pressure. They earned a penalty corner in the 35th minute, forcing a superb save from Krishan Pathak off a near-perfect Harmanpreet drag-flick. Moments later, Soorma won a succession of penalty corners.

In the 38th minute, they opted for a tactical variation; instead of a direct shot, the ball was slipped to Vivek Sagar Prasad, who slotted it into the net to make it 2-0. The Lancers responded with a heavy offensive surge, but Vanasch continued to keep them at bay.

The Lancers upped the tempo in the final quarter and finally pulled one back in the 48th minute through a goal from Henderson. Sensing an equaliser, the table-toppers pressed hard, with Marias' shot going agonisingly wide in the 53rd minute.

The final minutes were frantic as the Lancers threw everything at the Soorma defense. However, led by the tireless Victor Wegnez, Soorma absorbed the pressure and held on to secure three vital points.

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