The much-anticipated crossover event finally went underway as four men’s teams from the Hockey India League were in action on Saturday at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Stadium here.
Hyderabad Toofans, coming on the back of a three-match winning run, stunned the Tamil Nadu Dragons 4-0 in the Southern Derby first, while the UP Rudras prevailed over Team Gonasika Vizag in the second game.
Although the Dragons have been the most successful team in converting penalty corners (PC), the Toofans got the first bite of the cherry after a cagey first quarter when the talismanic Gonzalo Peillat unleashed a bullet into the roof of the net.
After a lengthy stick check, a Toofans goal was disallowed 20 seconds into the second half. But the side couldn’t be held back for long as Arthur De Sloover got on the scoresheet with a rip-roaring drive after a failed PC attempt was recycled by Nilakanta Sharma and Peillat.
Tim Brand extended the lead, scoring his fourth field goal this season by guiding a cross from Jacob Anderson past the goalkeeper. Peillat hammered in the final nail with a sizzling finish from another PC to become the top goalscorer of his team.
Also read | High-flying Krishan Pathak happy to play ‘No. 1 goalkeeper‘ role for Kalinga Lancers
The Dragons, who couldn’t pick up a single point from a fixture for the first time, will be eager to erase this trip from memory as soon as possible.
In the other contest, shot-stopper James Mazarelo repelled the first attempt on goal from a PC by Gonasika’s Victor Charlet merely 16 seconds from pushback.
However, the Rudras drew first blood with skipper Hardik Singh converting a penalty stroke after Manpreet Singh took down Sam Ward in front of goal.
Gonasika won three PCs on the bounce in the second quarter and 17 in total, but a goal couldn’t come to fruition. Its fortunes never changed, even in the last 30 minutes, as the side was often found boxed inside its own half.
The results:
Hyderabad Toofans 4 (Peillat 21 & 48, De Sloover 31, Brand 33) bt Tamil Nadu Dragons 0; UP Rudras 1 (Hardik 15) bt Team Gonasika Vizag 0.
