Royals triumph in shootout after eight-goal thriller keeps Bhubaneswar fans guessing

Bhubaneswar: Hockey fans at the Kalinga Stadium witnessed a nerve-wracking finish on Monday as the Hockey India League clash between Ranchi Royals and the HIL Governing Council (HIL GC) ended in high drama. After a pulsating 4-4 draw in regulation time, the Ranchi Royals held their nerves to secure a 4-1 victory in the penalty shootout.

The match began with intense energy. While the first quarter remained scoreless thanks to tight defending, the deadlock was broken in the 19th minute. Araijeet Singh Hundal pounced on a rebound to give Ranchi the lead. However, HIL GC fought back quickly. Experienced forward Lalit Kumar Upadhyay tapped in an equalizer in the 25th minute off a penalty corner rebound, leaving the score level at halftime.

The third quarter turned into a scoring spree. Hundal struck again in the 32nd minute to restore Ranchi’s lead, but HIL GC responded with lethal precision. Kane Russell converted a penalty corner, and local star Sudeep Chirmako scored a brilliant field goal to put HIL GC ahead 3-2. The lead was short-lived, as Sam Lane deflected a Jack Waller pass into the net minutes later to make it 3-3.

Tension peaked in the final quarter. A defensive error by Ranchi allowed Lalit Kumar Upadhyay to score his second goal in the 53rd minute, seemingly handing the win to HIL GC. But Belgian ace Tom Boon had other plans, firing a penalty corner into the top corner in the 57th minute to force the game into a shootout.

In the decisive shootout, the Ranchi Royals were flawless. Vishnukant Singh, Sam Lane, Maxime van Oost, and Tom Boon all converted their attempts. Goalkeeper Suraj Karkera stood tall, ensuring the Royals walked away with the bonus point after a memorable night of Hockey India League action.

Image Source: Hockey India League