Rourkela, Jan 14 (IANS) Team Gonasika secured their second win of the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 and kept their semifinal hopes alive after beating Soorma Hockey Club 2-1 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday. Nilam Sanjeep Xess (33`) and Lee Morton (59`) scored the goals for Team Gonasika while Pawan Rajbhar scored Soorma Hockey Club’s solitary goal.
Both sides were cautious in their approach in the first quarter with not a lot of big chances being created. It was only towards the end of the quarter that either side came close to scoring. In the 12th minute, Team Gonasika’s Lee Morton found himself in front of goal after some good work by Mandeep Singh. Morton shot straight at Mohith H.S. in the JSW Soorma Hockey Club goal.
A minute later, Soorma won the first penalty corner of the match. With no Harmanpreet Singh on the field, the drag-flicking duties fell to Nicolas della Torre and Jeremy Hayward. Della Torre’s attempt was blocked superbly by Yashdeep Siwach at the post.
In the final minute, Gonasika won their first penalty corner of the match but Victor Charlet’s drag-flick was saved well by Mohith.
The second quarter was a similarly cagey affair with neither goalkeeper tested. The biggest chance of the quarter fell to Gonasika’s Timothee Clement in the 27th minute. Morton did well to create the chance from the left goalline but Clement’s deflection hit the outside of the goal. After a goalless first half, the deadlock was finally broken in the 33rd minute. Mandeep Singh held up the ball well in the circle before reversing it to Nilam Sanjeep Xess on the goalline. Xess played the ball towards Araijeet Singh Hundal at the far post but the ball deflected off a defender’s stick and into goal.
The goal proved to be the wind in Gonasika’s sails as they mounted attack after attack with Morton and Nikkn Thimmaiah particularly impressive in attack. The Soorma did well to cope with the attacks and stay in the match. Soorma got the equaliser three minutes into the fourth quarter with Pawan Rajbhar showcasing his poaching skills. Nicolas Keenan won a free hit on the right of the circle and he quickly took it. The pass caught the Gonasika defence off guard as Rajbhar poked the ball past Oliver Payne in goal.
There was a flurry of chances in the final five minutes of the match as both teams upped the ante. Gurjant Singh missed a golden opportunity to put Soorma ahead when he sent Boris Burkhardt’s delightful pass high above the goal.
At the other end, Mohith made a good save to deny Morton from a distance before the Soorma defence mopped up the loose ball. Morton deservedly got his goal in the 59th minute to give Gonasika the lead. The British player got the ball at the post and he curled the ball past Mohith and into the far corner. Soorma, already down to 10 players due to a green card, took off goalkeeper Mohith for an outfield player.
Gonasika stay in seventh place in the points table with seven points while Soorma remain in fifth with eight points.
–IANS
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