Hockey India League 2024–25 Highlights: Kalinga Lancers Edge Past Team Gonasika 2-1, Climb To Third In Standings

Hey folks! Welcome to the live action of Kalinga Lancers vs Team Gonasika! The game’s all set to kick off at 8:15 PM IST on Thursday, January 9, at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. Grab your snacks and stay tuned, you're in for all the game drama right here.

Kalinga Lancers

• Goalkeepers: Sahil Kumar Nayak, Toby Reynolds-Cotterill, Krishan Bahadur Pathak.

• Defenders: Sushil Dhanwar, Antoine Kina, Partap Lakra, Arthur Van Doren, Enrique Gonzalez, Rohit Kullu, Alexander Hendricxx, Mandeep Mor, Sanjay.

• Midfielders: Aran Zalewski (C), Rosan Kujur, Rabichandra Moirangthem, Nicholas Bandurak, Mukesh Toppo.

• Forwards: Roshan Minz, Gursahibjit Singh, Angad Bir Singh, Deepak Pradhan, Thierry Brinkmann, Dilpreet Singh, Boby Singh Dhami.

Team Gonasika

• Goalkeepers: Oliver Payne, Kamalbir Singh, Suraj Karkera.

• Defenders: Tim Howard, Dipsan Tirkey, Sanjeep Nilam Xess, Birendra Lakra, Anmol Ekka, Yogember Rawat, Amir Ali.

• Midfielders: Jacob Draper, Yashdeep Siwach, Jack Waller, Timothee Clement, Lee Mortan, Vishnukant Singh, SK Uthappa, Manpreet Singh (C).

• Forwards: Nikkin Thimmaiah, SV Sunil, Struan Walker, Victor Charlet, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Mandeep Singh.

And here we go! Kalinga Lancers take the first pass, moving from left to right on your screen. The players are fired up, the crowd is buzzing, and the atmosphere is electric. But first, a quick round of player introductions and the Indian national anthem to set the tone. Grab your seats, this match is about to get real.

Ohhh, early dominance from Gonasika! They’ve controlled most of the possession so far, making a couple of threatening circle entries. But credit to the Kalinga Lancers' defense for keeping things tight at the back. The Lancers, however, need to sort out their turnovers—losing the ball before crossing midfield isn’t helping their cause.

Still 0-0!

Kalinga Lancers earn a penalty corner. The injection goes to Alexander Hendrickx, who lines up for a low drag flick. Unfortunately, the Belgian misfires and sends it wide of the target.

And there it is, folks, first-quarter drama and the goal goes to Gonasika. SV Sunil strikes, putting his team ahead after a perfect cross from Lee Morton. Just the kind of magic we were waiting for.

It’s been a solid start for Team Gonasika. They looked comfortable in the early stages, but Kalinga Lancers soon found their rhythm. The Lancers made several circle penetrations and earned a penalty corner, but couldn’t convert. Gonasika stayed patient and, just over a minute before the break, veteran India star SV Sunil scored to put his side ahead.

And the second quarter begins with a shift in tempo. Kalinga Lancers have made some decent moves, but they’re struggling to make it count inside the circle. With a few misplaced passes and mishandled collections, they haven’t been able to create the pressure they need.

The score remains Lancers 0-1 Gonasika.

No luck for Aran Zalewski. Dipsan Tirkey, the Gonasika defender, is on a run and gifts the ball to the Lancers with a turnover. They quickly capitalize, creating a chance of their own.

Zalewski takes a powerful drive from outside the circle, but the ball hits the goal post. However, there’s no touch from any Lancers’ forward inside the shooting circle, so the goal doesn’t count. The score remains 0-1 in favor of Gonasika.

Well, this is getting dramatic! Kalinga Lancers think they’ve scored after a bit of chaos inside the circle. The on-field umpire signals a goal but, hold up, he’s not sure and calls for a review.

The TV umpire, looking at the replays, sticks with the original call, no change.

But here’s the twist: the on-field umpire overrules the third umpire’s decision, saying, "The ball was above knee height!" Apparently, it was a dangerous play in the circle, and the goal is chalked off. The Lancers are left stunned and frustrated, but there’s nothing they can do. The goal stands as disallowed.

Lancers 0-1 Gonasika

And just like that, the Kalinga Lancers are back in it! Gonasika's defense have a huge slip-up right at the top of the circle, failing to cleanly trap the ball. Antoine Kina is lurking in the perfect spot, and when the ball falls to him, he pounces without hesitation. A scorching shot flies past everyone and into the net, before anyone even has time to react. That was a rocket from Kina.

The Lancers level it up, 1-1.

Captain Aran Zalewski puts Kalinga Lancers in front! A masterful pass from Alexander Hendrickx finds Zalewski outside the circle, and the Australian skipper guides it home with a deft touch. The ball takes a slight deflection off a Gonasika defender, leaving the keeper no chance.

Lancers lead 2-1.

Kalinga Lancers were awarded a penalty corner for a dangerous ball, but Team Gonasika wasn’t convinced. They challenged the call, arguing that the last touch before the ball went airborne inside the circle was from a Lancers player. The replays back them up, and the penalty corner decision is overturned! Instead, it’s a free hit for Gonasika.

The score remains 2-1 in favor of the Lancers.

That’s it for the third quarter – a strong 15 minutes from the Kalinga Lancers as they took control and scored to edge ahead. While they had a couple of other promising attacks, none found the back of the net.

On the other hand, Gonasika earned their first penalty corner but never really threatened the Lancers' defense. It’s all to play for as we head into the final quarter – Lancers lead 2-1.

Oh, what a miss from Dilpreet Singh, Angad Bir Singh makes another brilliant run down the right, weaving past three defenders before setting up Dilpreet, who’s unmarked and ready to strike. But he skews his shot wide! A big chance goes begging for the Lancers. Lancers 2-1 Gonasika.

Gonasika send a clever aerial ball into the circle, aiming to create some pressure. But Antoine Kina is alert and steps in with a clean interception for the Kalinga Lancers. Gonasika, however, aren’t convinced and call for a review, claiming the play was dangerous. The replays, though, don’t back them up. The decision stands, and Gonasika lose their review.

The Lancers hold on to their 2-1 lead.

With just over three minutes remaining, the pressure is mounting on Gonasika as time runs out. The Kalinga Lancers look composed and in control, fending off every attempt with ease.

Will they maintain their slender one-goal advantage, or is there a twist in the tale?

The Kalinga Lancers have staged an incredible turnaround! From a poor start to the season, they’ve now notched up back-to-back wins, climbing from the bottom of the table to third place in just three days. What a comeback story.

Gonasika opened the scoring, but the Lancers remained composed. Despite struggling to capitalize inside the circle, they seized on two costly defensive errors from Gonasika to score the decisive goals. Those pivotal moments secured them a hard-earned three points and a well-deserved rise in the standings.

Antoine Kina of the Kalinga Lancers wins the Player of the Match Award.

That's all from this match. We'll be back with another live blog soon. Until then, good night.