The Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers defeated the UP Rudras 5-3 on Wednesday in the Hockey India League (HIL) 2024–25 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela thanks to an outstanding first-quarter performance.
The Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers scored goals via Gauthier Boccard (8`), Jugraj Singh (10` and 33`), Sukhjeet Singh (14`), and Abhishek (46`). According to an HIL news release, the UP Rudras fought to the end thanks to goals by Hardik Singh (47`) and Sam Ward (51` and 59`) in the fourth quarter.
Sudeep Chirmako and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, two strikers for the UP Rudras, both found their way into the circle but were unable to put Jamie Carr in the Bengal Tigers goal.
The Bengal Tigers seized the lead in the eighth minute, and the Rudras’ early inability to finish paid off. According to the announcement, Gauthier Boccard had an incredible solo run, jinxing past many players before putting the ball into the bottom corner out of goalkeeper James Mazarelo’s grasp.
In the tenth minute, the Tigers capitalized on their lead and earned the game’s first penalty corner. The Rudras had successfully defended all 20 penalty corners they had faced so far in the competition, and they had never let up a goal from one.
The initial rusher was deflected away from Mazarelo by Jugraj Singh’s spectacular drag flick, breaking the duck.
After receiving the ball in the circle, Sebastien Dockier had a decent angle to fire at goal. Dockier’s shot was saved by Mazarelo, but Sukhjeet Singh grabbed the rebound and scored the 100th goal in the Hero Hockey India League 2024–25 season.
The TV umpire found no cause to deny the goal, despite the UP Rudras players’ protests that they thought there had been a stick tackle in the build-up. The second quarter began with the Tigers leading 3-0.
Mazarelo and Surender Kumar made sure the Tigers didn’t score a fourth goal despite winning three consecutive penalty corners in the twenty-first minute.
After a swift counterattack, Sukhjeet Singh shoved the ball over the line in the 26th minute, giving the Tigers the impression that they had scored their fourth goal. But when Sukhjeet scored, the TV umpire declared that the ball had left his back stick.
The Rudras earned a penalty corner with six seconds remaining in the second quarter. Joshua Beltz charged down Tanguy Cosyns’ drag flick as the Tigers led 3-0 at the interval.
Three minutes into the third quarter, the Tigers eventually scored their fourth goal. Jugraj Singh scored his fifth goal of the season, which ties him with Tomas Domene and Jip Jannsen, after Sam Lane earned a penalty corner.
In the 40th minute, the Rudras were within inches of regaining the lead, but Florent van Aubel’s outstanding defense kept it out. After slipping off Jamie Carr’s glove, Kane Russell’s drag flick slid in the direction of goal. To flick the ball away on the line, Van Aubel, who was standing on the post, sprang over his goalie.
The Tigers scored a standard counterattacking goal to start the last quarter. They started the counter after defending a penalty corner. Abhishek, a fellow Indian striker, dummied Sukhjeet Singh’s shot to trick the defense and then sent an unstoppable shot past Prashant Kumar Chauhan.
In the 47th minute, Tim Cross bundled Sam Ward over in front of goal, giving the Rudras a penalty stroke. To give his team a goal back, captain Hardik Singh stepped up and lofted the ball into the top corner.
Sam Ward’s penalty corner goal in the 51st minute gave the Tigers another goal, setting up a nerve-wracking final ten minutes. In the 59th minute, Ward scored from another penalty corner to give the Rudras their third goal and his second.
The UP Rudras did their best, but they were unable to finish the turnaround. With the victory, the Bengal Tigers move up to second position with 12 points, surpassing both the Hyderabad Toofans and the UP Rudras. With nine points, the Rudras fall to fourth place.
