Hockey India League: A Soorma without Harmanpreet loses 1-2 to Gonasika

Team Gonasika saw off some anxious moments to beat JSW Soorma Club, which missed the services of its ace drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, 2-1 in the Hockey India League at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Tuesday (January 14, 2025).

However, Gonasika’s second win could not lift it from the seventh position. Soorma also remained stationary after its third loss.

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Belgian midfielder Victor Wegnez, who returned after missing three matches due to fitness issues, wore the captain’s armband even though Harmanpreet’s name was there on the team-sheet.

Soorma earned a penalty corner in the first quarter but postman Yashdeep Siwach did well to stop Nicolas della Torre’s attempt.

Gonasika had a bigger share of possession and posed more threats. Once Timothee Clement shot a loose ball inside the ‘D’ to keeper Vincent Vanasch, while his French colleague Victor Charlet’s drag-flick was wasted at the stroke of the first break.

Soorma, despite limited options in rotation due to Harmanpreet’s unavailability owing to his left ankle injury in the previous match, gathered two short corners in the second quarter.

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Gonasika created some fine moves and dominated in terms of penetrations but could not beat the Soorma defence, primarily guarded by della Torre, Jeremy Hayward and debutant goalkeeper H.S. Mohith’s – which allowed five foreigners on the field.

Gonasika spoiled chances as Struan Walker could not control the ball inside the circle and Clement could not utilise Lee Morton’s pass.

Following a goalless first half, Gonasika showed patience with its possession, used the flanks better to explore openings and benefitted from it. The active Mandeep Singh brilliantly passed it on to Nilam Xess at the goalline and the latter’s push got deflected in from a defender’s stick in the 33rd minute.

Soorma displayed some urgency in the final period and drew parity. Nicolas Keenan supplied an accurate pass from outside the circle on the right and Pawan Rajbhar guided it in.

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Soorma’s Gurjant Singh regretted missing a sitter, while Gonasika’s Morton scored the winner in closing moments when Soorma was a man down.

The result:

Team Gonasika 2 (Xess 33, Morton 59) bt JSW Soorma Hockey Club 1 (Rajbhar 48).