With 20 seconds left on the clock, Jack Waller slid to make a connection from a cross, but Dominic Dixon made a sprawling save to keep the scores level at 3-3, securing Hyderabad Toofans’ place in the Hockey India League (HIL) semifinals.
Toofans lost the shootout 3-1 but the point in regulation time was enough for the Hyderabad side in a thrilling Pool B clash here at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Tuesday.
Gonasika didn’t help itself when an early error allowed Jacob Anderson to race through the middle and score from a reverse hit after just 20 seconds on the clock to put Toofans 1-0 up, setting up for a goal-filled opening two quarters.
Toofans escaped a scare when Sumit cleared the ball off the line before it got its second. Gonasika forward Araijeet Singh found himself outside his own circle and was dispossessed by Maico Casella. The forward’s fierce strike took a deflection of Tim Brand’s stick and into the net.
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Gonasika cut the lead by one when Victor Charlet’s penalty corner struck the midriff of Arthur de Sloover, leading to a penalty stroke on referral. Toofans swapped out the goalkeeper for Dominic Dixon but Charlet got the better of him from the spot by placing it low to his right.
Toofans made a cheap giveaway in midfield allowing Gonasika to break upfield, leading to another penalty stroke after Sumit’s tackle was interpreted as an intentional obstruction. It was Araijeet’s turn the second time, and he wrong-footed Dixon to draw the scores level.
Parity lasted only a minute as at the other end, Amandeep Lakra unleashed a powerful drag-flick, high into the net to re-establish the lead for Toofans, heading into the break.
In the third quarter, both teams kept cancelling each other out as Toofans squandered five short corners in the period with Gonzalo Peillat having an off night with his drag-flicks.
Gonasika made Toofans sweat for the final five minutes when Charlet converted his penalty corner to set up a thrilling finish before Dixon emerged with a season-defining save.
Result:
Team Gonasika 3 (Victor Charlet 12’ 55’, Araijeet Singh Hundal 24’) drew with Hyderabad Toofans 3 (Jacob Anderson 1’, Tim Brand 6’, Amandeep Lakra 25’); Team Gonasika beat Hyderabad Toofans 3-1 in penalty shootout
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