Tamil Nadu Dragons Defeat UP Rudras to Secure Final Semifinal Spot in HIL

Rourkela, Jan 30, 29: In a dramatic Men’s Hockey India League match at Rourkela’s Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, the Tamil Nadu Dragons mounted a thrilling comeback from two goals down to draw against the UP Rudras. This result secured the Tamil Nadu Dragons’ spot in the semifinals at the expense of the Rudras.

Sudeep Chrimako (8) and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (15) scored for the UP Rudras, while Jip Janssen (32) and Thomas Sorsby (53) found the back of the net for the Tamil Nadu Dragons.

The UP Rudras claimed the penalty shootout 3-2 in sudden death, earning them a bonus point.

This match saw the fourth-placed Tamil Nadu Dragons (17 points) face the fifth-placed UP Rudras (15 points), with the final semifinal spot on the line. A draw was enough for the Dragons to progress, while the Rudras needed a victory to break into the top four.

The game began with a balanced pace, but the Rudras took control early, with Sudeep Chrimako opening the scoring in the eighth minute. He latched onto a pass from James Albery and slotted it past the Dragons’ goalkeeper, David Harte.

The Dragons pushed for an equalizer but were thwarted by the solid Rudras defense. In the dying moments of the first quarter, the Rudras doubled their lead to 2-0. After a penalty corner was saved by Harte, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay pounced on the rebound to net his first goal of the season.

Despite several attempts, the Dragons couldn’t break through the Rudras’ defense, led by captain Hardik Singh, as the Rudras went into halftime with a two-goal advantage.

The Dragons came close to pulling one back in the 31st minute when Blake Govers’ pass found Selvam Karthi in front of goal, but Karthi was unable to control the ball and missed a golden opportunity.

However, the Dragons fought back in the 32nd minute with a cleverly executed penalty corner routine. Govers dummied a shot, passing to Jip Janssen, who fired the ball into the net, giving the Dragons hope.

The Dragons continued to press, and in the 42nd minute, Janssen’s drag flick from another penalty corner was blocked off the line by Surender Kumar. The Rudras’ defense held firm as the third quarter ended 2-1.

The Dragons’ persistence finally paid off in the 53rd minute when Thomas Sorsby deflected a Govers drag flick past Rudras goalkeeper James Mazarelo, leveling the score at 2-2.

With a draw enough to send them into the semifinals, the Dragons tightened their grip on possession, forcing the Rudras to chase the game and running down the clock.