HIL: Tamil Nadu Dragons defeat Hyderabad Toofans in penalty shootout

Rourkela (Odisha) [India], January 23 (ANI): The Tamil Nadu Dragons won the penalty shootout 4-3 after their Hero Hockey India League 2024-25 Pool B match against the Hyderabad Toofans ended in a 2-2 draw at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Thursday.
Blake Govers (4`) and Jip Janssen (37`) scored for the Tamil Nadu Dragons while Tim Brand (3`) and Maico Casella (59`) scored for the Hyderabad Toofans.
It was a sensational start to the match with both sides scoring in the opening four minutes. Hyderabad Toofans got the scoring underway in the third minute when Rajinder Singh went on a good run down the left and crossed the ball towards the front of the goal following which Tim Brand dived and deflected the ball past David Harte, a release said.
However, Tamil Nadu Dragons responded immediately through Blake Govers in the fourth minute when the Australian got the ball at the top of the circle and did not waste any time before shooting it past Vikas Dahiya in the Toofans goal.
Both sides did not let the momentum slip away as they kept making multiple circle penetrations. The Toofans won the first penalty corner of the match in the 11th minute. David Harte made a very good save to keep out Gonzalo Peillat's drag flick.
Govers could have given the Dragons the lead in the 23rd minute as the ball fell to him kindly off a Toofans defender. Bikramjit Singh, making his first appearance in the Hero Hockey India League, pulled off a brilliant save to keep the scores level.
The intensity dropped a bit even as both sides manufactured decent chances for themselves as the first half ended 1-1.
The Dragons grabbed the lead in the 37th minute after Devendra Walmiki conceded a penalty corner. Jip Janssen fired the ball past goalkeeper Dahiya to give his side the lead.
The Toofans went in the hunt for the equaliser and should have gotten it in the 42nd minute but for some stunning goalkeeping from David Harte. The Irishman kept out three consecutive penalty corners including one where he made a triple save.
Harte was in scintillating form as he continued to keep the Toofans drag-flickers at bay in the fourth quarter. At the other end, Bikramjit Singh was also in good touch in the Toofans' goal as he made a couple of good saves to keep his team in the hunt.
In the 56th minute, the Toofans' Arthur de Sloover made his way into the circle before finding the angle to have a crack at goal. Harte was at hand once again to keep his side ahead in the match.
The Toofans finally got their equaliser in the 59th minute. Maico Casella's drag flick took a slight touch off Amit Rohidas' stick and past Harte into the back of the goal. The Dragons pressed for the winner but the Toofans held on to take the match into penalty shootout.
Both David Harte and Bikramjit Singh were in superb form in the penalty shootout. While the young Bikramjit Singh saved the attempts of Govers, Mohammed Raheel and Moritz Ludwig, Harte kept out the attempts of Shilanand Lakra, Arshdeep Singh, Casella and Zachary Wallace to help his side win the penalty shootout 4-3. (ANI)