HIL: Rarh Bengal Tigers wins an eight-goal thriller against UP Rudras

A superb first-quarter performance set up a 5-3 win for the Rarh Bengal Tigers over the UP Rudras in the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Wednesday.

Gauthier Boccard (8`), Jugraj Singh (10` and 33`), Sukhjeet Singh (14`) and Abhishek (46`) scored for the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers. Hardik Singh (47`) and Sam Ward (51` and 59`) scored in the fourth quarter as the UP Rudras went down fighting.

The UP Rudras started brightly with its forwards Sudeep Chirmako and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay both finding their way into the circle but unable to test Jamie Carr in the Bengal Tigers goal.

Rudras punished for poor conversion rate

The Rudras’ early lack of finishing came back to haunt it as the Bengal Tigers took the lead in the eighth minute. Gauthier Boccard went on a superb solo run as he jinxed past multiple defenders before placing the ball into the bottom corner beyond the reach of goalkeeper James Mazarelo.

The Tigers pressed its advantage and won the first penalty corner of the match in the 10th minute. The Rudras had never conceded a goal from a penalty corner this tournament having successfully defended all 20 penalty corners they had faced so far.

Jugraj Singh broke the duck with an unstoppable drag flick which took a deflection off the first rusher, taking it away from Mazarelo.

The Tigers did not take its foot off the gas as it scored third goal in the 14th minute. Sebastien Dockier got the ball in the circle before shooting at goal from a promising angle. Mazarelo saved Dockier’s attempt but the rebound fell to Sukhjeet Singh who poked it in for the 100th goal of the Hero Hockey India League 2024-25 season.

The UP Rudras players protested the goal as it believed there was a stick tackle in the build-up to the goal but the TV umpire saw no reason to disallow the goal. The Tigers took a 3-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Tigers won three penalty corners in a row in the 21st minute but Mazarelo and Surender Kumar ensured that the Tigers did not get a fourth goal.

The Tigers thought it had scored its fourth in the 26th minute when Sukhjeet Singh bundled the ball over the line at the end of a quick counterattack. However, the TV umpire ruled that the ball had come off Sukhjeet’s back stick when he scored.

With six seconds left in the second quarter, the Rudras won a penalty corner. Tanguy Cosyns’ drag flick was charged down by Joshua Beltz as the Tigers went into halftime 3-0 ahead.

The Tigers finally got their fourth goal three minutes into the third quarter. Sam Lane won a penalty corner which Jugraj Singh duly converted to nab his fifth goal of the season, the joint-most alongside Tomas Domene and Jip Jannsen.

Late fightback by Rudras not enough

The Rudras came within inches of pulling a goal back in the 40th minute but were denied by some incredible defending by Florent van Aubel. Kane Russell’s drag flick came off Jamie Carr’s glove before trickling towards goal. Van Aubel, positioned on the post, jumped over his goalkeeper to flick the ball away on the line.

The Tigers began the final quarter with a typical counter attacking goal. They defended a penalty corner before launching the counter. Sukhjeet Singh played it to fellow Indian forward Abhishek who dummied his shot to fool the defender before firing an unstoppable shot past Prashant Kumar Chauhan.

The Rudras won a penalty stroke in the 47th minute as Sam Ward was bundled over in front of goal by Tim Cross . Captain Hardik Singh stepped up and lofted the ball into the top corner to pull a goal back for his side.

The Rudras set up a nervy final 10 minutes for the Tigers as they pulled another goal back thanks to a Sam Ward penalty corner goal in the 51st minute. Ward scored his second goal and the Rudras’ third in the 59th minute from another penalty corner.

Despite their valiant efforts, the UP Rudras could not complete the turnaround. With the win, the Bengal Tigers leapfrog over the Hyderabad Toofans and the UP Rudras to second place with 12 points. The Rudras, meanwhile, drop to fourth with nine points.