In a straight shootout for the last semifinal place, Tamil Nadu Dragons came from behind to hold UP Rudras 2-2 in a tantalising Pool B fixture in the Hockey India League (HIL) to make sure of its spot at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
A point was enough for Dragons to confirm its place in the top four, but it was made to work hard for it.
Rudras won a consolation penalty shootout 3-2 in the final pool match.
Starting the game placed fifth, Rudras dominated Dragons in the opening quarter, going up 2-0 after goals from Sudeep Chirmako and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay to leave the side from Tamil Nadu kicking the turf in frustration.
Dragons came out firing in the second half with Selvam Karthi squandering a glorious opportunity. But Dragons’ pressure paid off from a penalty corner when Blake Govers slid the ball behind to Jip Janssen, who fired his drag-flick low into the corner to give his side a lifeline.
Good saves
Rudras’ ’keeper James Mazarelo made two excellent saves from Janssen but was undone in the final quarter when Thomas Sorsby deflected Govers’ short corner past Mazarelo to draw his side level.
In the earlier game, Soorma Hockey Club sealed its place in the semifinal after it played out a 1-1 draw with Rarh Bengal Tigers in regulation time with the former winning the shoot-out 3-0.
Tigers, without injured skipper Rupinder Pal Singh, was well off the pace in the opening exchanges, allowing Soorma to capitalise on the lax passing.
In the 10th minute, Jasjit Singh Kular looked to shepherd the ball behind the line inside the circle but Nicolas Keenan sneaked behind him to win the ball and squared it for Gurjant Singh to tap the ball in.
Tigers finished the game strongly piling on the attack with Jugraj Singh finding the mark with four minutes to go, when he fired it high into the net from a penalty corner to earn a point for his side.
In the semifinals on Friday, Tigers will take on Dragons, while Soorma will face Hyderabad Toofans.
The results:
Soorma Hockey Club 1 (Gurjant 10) drew with Rarh Bengal Tigers 1 (Jugraj 56). Soorma won shootout 3-0.
UP Rudras 2 (Sudeep 8, Lalit Kumar 15) drew with Tamil Nadu Dragons 2 (Janssen 32, Sorsby 53). Rudras won shootout 3-2.
Published - January 30, 2025 12:20 pm IST
