Kane Russell's brace and a goal from Sudeep Chirmako was enough for the UP Rudras to win 3-1 against defending champion Kalinga Lancers at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Monday. Enrique Gonzalez the sole scorer for the Lancers
Kane Russell's brace and a goal from Sudeep Chirmako was enough for the UP Rudras to win 3-1 against defending champion Kalinga Lancers at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela on Monday. Enrique Gonzalez the sole scorer for the Lancers. (Match Highlights | More Hockey News)
Gonzalez had put the Lancers ahead in the 13th minute through a field strike before Russell (45th) converted a penalty corner and later Sudeep Chirmako (50th) scored from a field effort to give UP Rudras a 2-1 lead.
Russell was again in the thick of action, converting another penalty corner in the final minute of the game.
Gonzalez found the back of the net after he was brilliantly set up by Sanjay from the right for the first goal of the match.
Sanjay carried the ball and then squared it to Gonzalez, who was completely unmarked. With time and space to shoot, he slotted home the ball.
UP Rudras pressed hard for the equaliser and their efforts bore fruit at the stroke of the third quarter when Russell's powerful low shot hit the opposition goal, leaving rival goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak all ends up.
Five minutes later, Chirmako scored a lucky goal as Rudras went 2-1 up with 10 minutes of play remaining.
Goalkeeper Pathak had come off his line and Chirmako managed to deflect the ball towards the goal. In the dying moments of the game, Russell sealed the game in UP Rudras' favour, slamming home another penalty corner past Pathak.
The win took Rudras to the top of the HIL 2024-25 points table whereas the Lancers are rooted to the bottom.
(With PTI inputs)