Hardik Singh’s Hat-Trick Seals Last-Gasp Win for HIL GC Against SG Pipers | Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2026 | Match #4
Chennai, January 5, 2026:
HIL GC produced a stunning late surge to defeat SG Pipers 3–2 in a thrilling Match #4 of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2026 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Egmore, with captain Hardik Singh delivering a sensational hat-trick from penalty corners to decide the contest in the dying seconds.
The opening half was a tactical chess match, with both teams probing patiently but unable to find a breakthrough. SG Pipers goalkeeper Tomas Santiago and HIL GC custodian James Mazarelo were in top form, denying a series of half-chances and ensuring the scoreboard remained untouched at halftime.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 31st minute when SG Pipers’ Ky Willott finished clinically from open play to give his side a deserved lead. The goal lifted the tempo of the match and sparked an intense third-quarter exchange as HIL GC went in search of an immediate response.
Their reply arrived just four minutes later. HIL GC skipper Hardik Singh stepped up for a penalty corner in the 35th minute and rifled the ball into the net with authority to draw his side level. The momentum had firmly shifted, and Hardik struck again in the 37th minute, converting another set piece to turn the game on its head and put HIL GC ahead 2–1.
However, SG Pipers refused to fold. As the final quarter wore on, they increased the pressure inside the HIL GC circle, forcing errors and earning crucial penalty corners. Their persistence paid off in the 56th minute, when Dilraj Singh hammered home from the set piece to restore parity at 2–2 and set up a nerve-wracking finish.
With the crowd on its feet and the clock ticking down, the match appeared destined for a draw. But drama was far from over. In the 60th minute, HIL GC were awarded a final penalty corner, and once again it was their talismanic captain who shouldered the responsibility. Hardik Singh calmly dispatched his third conversion of the night, completing a remarkable hat-trick and sealing a dramatic 3–2 victory for his side at the death.
The final whistle triggered wild celebrations in the HIL GC camp, as players mobbed their captain for a performance that epitomised leadership under pressure. The win gives HIL GC a valuable early boost in the league standings, while SG Pipers were left heartbroken after pushing the contest to the very end.
With late drama, captaincy brilliance and a packed Chennai crowd, the Men’s Hero Hockey India League once again delivered a night to remember.
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