BHUBANESWAR: Double strike by dependable drag-flicker Alexander Hendrickx powered Vedanta Kalinga Lancers to a 3-2 win over Ranchi Royals in the Hockey India League final here at the Kalinga Stadium on Monday. Earlier, Amandeep Lakra scored a brace as Hyderabad Toofans defeated HIL GC 4-3 to finish third in the league.
Lancers started quite aggressively and earned a penalty corner in the fourth minute, which was duly converted by Hendrickx to give him team a 1-0 lead. Royals' Hundal Araijeet Singh, however, scored a field goal in the ninth minute to make it 1-1.
The home team dominated the second quarter and was rewarded with six short corners. In the 25th minute, Royals' goalkeeper failed to put away Hendrickx's powerful dragflick and Dilpreet Singh made no mistake by slamming home a goal. A couple of minutes later Hendrickx scored his second goal of the match to give his team a 3-1 lead.
After the change of sides, it was a challenge between Lancers' defense and Royals' attack. The Royals got five PC’s in the last quarter, but the highest goal scorer of the season, Tom Boon, could score just once in the 59th minute. All credit goes to Lancers' goalkeeper Krishan Pathak, who thwarted opponents' attacks and made sure his side emerge winners.
Alexander Hendrickx who scored 12 goals this season said, “In the last edition we finished sixth, today we all are very happy to finish top of the table and emerged champion. In the final I am very much focused towards my play and earn two goals for my team.”
The Lancers' goalkeeper Pathak who had done a stupendous job in front of the posts expressed, “We made a proper home work along with our defense line, how to stop the Ranchi Royals. Tom Boon is one of the best drag flickers. We planned to stop him and we were able to manage him and scripted the final win.”
In another match of the day, Sam Ward provided the early lead to HIL GC in the 14th minute. However, Hyderabad Toofans bounced back in the second quarter by nailing two goals. Nilakanta Sharma and Amandeep Lakra scored a goal each in the 24th and 30th minutes respectively. Jacob Anderson then scored in the 33rd minute to make it 3-1.
In the final quarter, Ward scored another goal in the 52nd minutes and raised comeback hopes for HIL GC, but in a counterattack, Lakra scored a goal (53rd minute) making it 4-2 for Toofans. Kane Russell scored a goal in the 55th minute, but it was not enough to stop Toofans to finish third.
