Wallace and Brand shine with stunning hat-tricks at Kalinga Stadium
Bhubaneswar: Spectators at the iconic Kalinga Hockey Stadium witnessed a masterclass in attacking hockey on Saturday as Hyderabad Toofans launched their Bhubaneswar leg campaign with a massive victory. In a completely one-sided affair, the Toofans demolished the Shrachi Bengal Tigers with a 6-0 scoreline in the ongoing Hockey India League.
The match was defined by the clinical brilliance of two players—Zachary Wallace and Tim Brand—who both registered hat-tricks, leaving the Bengal defense in tatters.
Hyderabad wasted no time asserting their dominance. Just two minutes into the first quarter, Talwinder Singh showcased excellent ball control inside the circle, setting up Zachary Wallace. Wallace calmly slotted the ball through the goalkeeper's legs to open the scoring. While the Bengal Tigers earned two penalty corners shortly after, they failed to convert, with Hyderabad goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg making crucial saves.
Momentum stayed firmly with the Toofans in the second quarter. In the 12th minute, Tim Brand capitalized on a rebound from a penalty corner to double the lead. Wallace then displayed individual brilliance in the 16th minute, dribbling through the center to fire a low drive into the bottom corner. Despite Shrachi Bengal Tigers creating a few chances through Abhishek and Ketan Kushwaha, the Hyderabad defense stood tall. Just seconds before halftime, Wallace completed his hat-trick with a deflected shot, making it 4-0.
The second half brought no relief for the Tigers. Arshdeep Singh dazzled the crowd with 3D skills along the baseline in the 39th minute, setting up Tim Brand for an easy finish. Brand wrapped up the scoring festival in the 46th minute, pouncing on another rebound to secure his own hat-trick and the team's sixth goal.
Despite earning late penalty corners, the Shrachi Bengal Tigers could not breach the Toofans' defense, capping off a perfect evening for the Hyderabad side in the Hockey India League.
Image Source: Hockey India League
