Defending champions Shrachi Bengal Tigers opened their men's Hockey India League (HIL) campaign with a confident 3-1 victory over JSW Soorma Club in Chennai while Vedanta Kalinga Lancers beat Ranchi Royals 4-2 in Chennai on Sunday.
For the Tigers, Sukhjeet Singh (33th minute), Abhishek (45th) and Gursewak Singh (60th) netted the goals while Prabhjot Singh (54th) pulled one back for Soorma.
The opening quarter was evenly balanced with both teams looking to settle into the contest. Soorma tried to stretch the Tigers' defence by switching play and using long passes. The Tigers, on the other hand, relied on quick counter-attacks and aerial balls into the circle.
Despite a few promising moves from Nicolas Poncelet and Tommy Willems, neither side could create a clear-cut chance in the first 15 minutes.
The Tigers grew stronger in the second quarter and began to control possession.
Abhishek was lively upfront and won multiple penalty corners, but Soorma goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch kept trouble at bay with several sharp saves, including a crucial double save late in the half. The two teams went into the break with the score still level.
The Tigers finally broke the deadlock early in the third quarter when Tom Grambusch's penalty-corner flick was deftly deflected into the goal by Sukhjeet Singh in the 33rd minute.
The Tigers continued to press and doubled their lead later in the quarter when Abhishek showed great composure, holding off the defender before firing a powerful reverse-stick shot past Vanasch from a tight angle.
Soorma showed intent in the final quarter and they were rewarded when Prabhjot finished off a neat passing move in the 54th minute to reduce the deficit.
However, as Soorma pushed forward and took off their goalkeeper in the closing moments, the Tigers struck again. Abhishek stole possession and set up Gursewak, who scored into an empty net in the final minute to seal the win.
Sukhjeet was named Player of the Match for his influential performance as the Tigers began their title defence on a positive note.
In the 2nd men's match of the day, Alexander Hendrickx (7th, 28th) and Gursahibjit Singh (16th, 26th) scored the goals for the Lancers while Tom Boon (1st) and Mandeep Singh (9th) were the goalscorers for the Royals.
The Royals found the opening goal in the first minute as they won a penalty corner and Boon made the most of the opportunity, slotting the ball into the net with a powerful dragflick.
The Lancers won a penalty corner in the seventh minute and Belgian dragflick specialist Hendrickx delivered the equaliser with a flick past the goalkeeper.
Two minutes later, the Royals claimed the lead again as Vishnukant Singh played an incisive first-time pass into the circle for Mandeep who scored the second goal.
Lancers began the second quarter strong with a crucial field goal. Craig Marias showed great skill inside the circle as his pass set up Gursahibjit perfectly for a diving finish into the goal.
They struck again in the 26th minute as Dilpreet Singh did well to protect the ball inside the circle and play it to Gursahibjit who was in the perfect position to poach the ball.
Two minutes later, Lancers further increased their advantage as Hendrickx converted another penalty corner.
In the 42nd minute, Ranchi Royals won three consecutive penalty corners but the Lancers denied them on all three occasions, eventually winning the contest by a significant margin.
HIL Women: Shrachi Bengal Tigers edge past Ranchi Royals
Agustina Gorzelany (37') scored the winner as Shrachi Bengal Tigers recorded a 1-0 win over Ranchi Royals in the Women's Hockey India League in Ranchi on Sunday.
With this win, the Bengal Tigers moved to the second position in the points table.
The Ranchi Royals came into the contest high on confidence with two consecutive wins and started the game with their midfield controlling the tempo in the opening exchanges.
They had five penalty corners and seven circle penetrations in the first quarter, but couldn't find a way past Jennifer Rizzo in goal for the Tigers.
Playing on the counter attack, the Tigers had a late opportunity of their own before Bichu Devi Kharibam pulled off a couple of sharp saves for the home side towards the end of a stop-start first quarter.
The Tigers steadily grew into confidence in the second quarter, making inroads and putting the Royals' defence under pressure. They made seven circle penetrations and a couple of penalty corners, attacking in waves in search of the opening goal.
But Madhuri Kindo stayed firm in goal for the hosts though, making crucial saves to keep her side on level terms to end a hard-fought first half with the score at 0-0.
In the second half, Ranchi Royals came close to breaking the deadlock on a couple of occasions but it was the Tigers who eventually drew first blood through Gorzelany, converting from a penalty corner.
Gorzelany struck for the fourth time in the competition to give her side 1-0 lead, which proved to be decisive.
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