Two outright wins in two matches have made Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers the early frontrunners in the men’s Hockey India League. And in a team filled with young attacking talents, it was the veteran Rupinder Pal Singh who stood up and made his experience count in the New Year’s match in Rourkela on Wednesday.
The Tokyo bronze medalist, who has since retired from the international game, rolled back the years as he scored two goals to help the Tigers beat Team Gonasika at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Wednesday. Rupinder (31` and 48`) scored from a penalty corner and a penalty stroke while Manpreet Singh scored Gonasika’s solitary goal.
In Rupinder and Jugraj Singh, Tigers have two lethal Indian drag flickers and the pair were called into action inside the opening three minutes as Sukhjeet Singh won a penalty corner. And on a day, Jugraj’s radar didn’t quite fire, Rupinder delivered.
Right at the start of the match, Jugraj’s drag flick was saved comfortably by Oliver Payne. But Gonasika controlled the tempo after that with the trio of Vishnukanth Singh, Jack Waller and Jake Draper busy in the middle of the park. SK Uthappa gave Gonasika their first big chance as he won a penalty corner midway through the first quarter. Araijeet Singh Hundal, however, was unable to get past the Gonasika. The Bengal Tigers would have another crack at taking the lead in the first quarter with Sukhjeet winning another penalty corner in the final minute. Payne once again kept Jugraj Singh’s attempt at bay.
The second quarter was a scratchy affair as neither side created any clear cut opportunities but Payne and his defence kept out any threat from Tigers. Nothing could separate both sides at the break with both sides splitting the possession, circle penetration and shots stats. However, the Tigers had five penalty corners to two for Gonasika.
The opening five minutes of the third quarter had more action than the previous two quarters combined as both sides scored once each and had a couple of big chances.
Tigers were the ones to break the deadlock as Sukhjeet won a sixth penalty corner in the opening minute. Rupinder Pal fired in an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net to give his side the lead in the 31st minute. The celebrations from the Tigers players showed just how much they loved the vintage Rupinder goal.
The celebration lasted less than a minute as Gonasika equalised as soon as play restarted. It was good play from Walker as he held up play before finding an unmarked Manpreet Singh with a clever reverse pass. With only Carr to beat, Manpreet went low and hard to draw his side level. Tigers retook the lead early in the fourth quarter as Abhishek won a penalty stroke in the 48th minute. Up stepped Rupinder and he coolly found the bottom corner of the goal past Payne.
Player of the Match Abhishek said, “It was a tough match but our team effort was good. We were better with our chances in the second half and that was the difference between the two teams today.”
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