Hyderabad Toofans rode on German drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat’s brace to record a second consecutive comeback win as it thrashed Vedanta Kalinga Lancers 5-1 in the Hockey India League at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Sunday.
Toofans’ second outright victory promoted it to the second spot.
Lancers suffered because of their below-par short corner conversion, only one of 11, while Toofans’ benefitted from the great work of their keepers, Vikas Dahiya and Dominic Dixon, and fellow defenders.
The eventful first quarter saw turnovers and eight penalty corners, of which Lancers earned five, and Toofans got three.
Both sides scored a goal apiece, too. Alexander Hendrickx executed a low drag-flick to put Lancers ahead in the fifth minute, and Peillat returned the favour in a similar manner in the next minute.
The closing seconds of the first period witnessed a heated exchange between players of both sides after the Lancers were awarded their fifth penalty corner.
Maico Casella scored a stunning goal in the 21st minute to give Toofans the lead and the momentum. The Argentinian, posted on the right, brought down Zachary Wallace’s long aerial pass from the left and hammered in a cross-batted cricket shot from a narrow-angle as the ball sailed over custodian Krishan Pathak’s head and left him stunned.
AS IT HAPPENED: Lancers vs Toofans HIGHLIGHTS
Lancers created some good moves in the second quarter but could not find the equaliser.
Toofans, after seeing Shilanand Lakra hitting straight into Pathak’s body off a counterattack, made it 2-1 as Peillat unleashed a diagonal drag-flick at the stroke of half-time.
The free-flowing end-to-end action continued in the second half. But the host did not have the luck as an attempt from a short corner hit the post for a second time.
Toofans grew in confidence, attacked with composure and extended the lead early in the final quarter with Tim Brand tapping it in.
As the Lancers removed their goalkeeper, the hardworking Arshdeep Singh scored another one for Toofans and sealed the issue.
The result: Hyderabad Toofans 5 (Peillat 6, 30, Casella 21, Brand 47, Arshdeep 54) bt Vedanta Kalinga Lancers 1 (Hendrickx 5).
