Vedanta Kalinga Lancers Rise to Second Spot with Thrilling 2–1 Win over Shrachi Bengal Tigers in HIL 2025–26
Chennai, 8 January 2026: Vedanta Kalinga Lancers continued their impressive run in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2025–26 with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Shrachi Bengal Tigers at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Egmore. The narrow win not only marked their second consecutive triumph but also propelled the Lancers to second place on the league standings, underlining their growing title credentials.
After a cagey opening half, goals from Alexander Hendrickx and Boby Singh Dhami in the final quarter sealed the match for the Odisha-based franchise, while Affan Yousuf was on target for the Tigers in a dramatic late exchange of goals.
The match began with Vedanta Kalinga Lancers asserting early control. Their midfield moved the ball fluently, pinning the Tigers deep in their own half. The Lancers racked up 11 circle entries in the first quarter alone and earned the only penalty corner of the opening period. However, despite the territorial dominance, Shrachi Bengal Tigers goalkeeper James Carr stood tall, making a couple of sharp interventions to keep the scoreline intact.
The second quarter saw a change in momentum as the Tigers found their rhythm. They pushed higher up the pitch, pressing aggressively and creating meaningful chances inside the circle. With nine circle entries and four attempts on target, Shrachi Bengal Tigers looked the more dangerous side during this phase. But at the other end, India custodian Krishan Bahadur Pathak delivered a masterclass in goalkeeping, producing a string of outstanding saves to deny the Tigers a breakthrough. His calm presence ensured that the first half ended goalless despite the attacking intent from both sides.
The third quarter remained a tactical stalemate. Shrachi Bengal Tigers continued to probe through slick passing sequences, while the Lancers defended compactly and looked to strike on the counter. Both defensive units held firm, and as the final quarter approached, the contest remained delicately poised at 0–0.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 52nd minute when Vedanta Kalinga Lancers were awarded a crucial penalty corner. Star drag-flicker Alexander Hendrickx stepped up and produced a trademark rocket, beating Carr cleanly to give the Lancers a deserved lead. The breakthrough sparked life into the contest, and the Tigers responded immediately with renewed urgency.
Just four minutes later, the Tigers found their equaliser through a beautifully worked move. Enrique Gonzalez controlled a long aerial ball before slipping a precise pass into the path of Affan Yousuf, who made no mistake with a neat tap-in to level the scores at 1–1 in the 56th minute.
With the clock ticking down, both teams threw men forward in search of a winner, but it was Vedanta Kalinga Lancers who showed greater composure in the decisive moment. Another penalty corner followed soon after the equaliser, and while Carr initially made the save, the rebound fell kindly to Boby Singh Dhami. The forward reacted sharply, smashing the ball home from close range in the 57th minute to send the Lancers’ bench into wild celebration.
Despite a late push from Shrachi Bengal Tigers in the dying minutes, the Lancers’ defence held firm to close out a thrilling 2–1 victory.
The result sees Vedanta Kalinga Lancers climb to second place in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26 standings, highlighting their consistent performances and growing belief within the squad. For Shrachi Bengal Tigers, it was a night of near misses and what-ifs, but their spirited second-half display will give them confidence as the season progresses.
As the league intensifies, matches like these underline the competitive depth of the HIL, with fine margins continuing to separate victory from defeat.
Follow BiGG Sports News for more sports stories
About the Author
