David Harte delivered a masterclass in goalkeeping as the Tamil Nadu Dragons secured a nail-biting 4-3 penalty shootout victory over the Hyderabad Toofans in a Pool B clash of the Hockey India League (HIL) at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on Thursday.
Harte’s heroics included four shootout saves, capping off a sensational performance that saw him repeatedly frustrate the Toofans during regulation time. His efforts propelled the Dragons to the top of the standings and preserved their unbeaten run in the tournament.
The match began with a frenetic tempo, producing two goals within the first two minutes. The Toofans drew first blood when Tim Brand tapped in a Rajinder Singh pass, only for Blake Govers to respond almost immediately for the Dragons with a precise low strike from the edge of the circle.
Both teams showcased aggressive play, but the goalkeepers, Vikas Dahiya and Bikramjit Singh for the Toofans, and Harte for the Dragons, made crucial saves to keep the scoreline level heading into the second quarter. Despite earning numerous penalty corners, the Toofans struggled to convert, thanks to a resolute Dragons defense.
Jip Janssen gave the Dragons the lead in the 37th minute, angling a well-executed shot past Dahiya to take his tournament tally to six goals. The Toofans ramped up the pressure in the final quarter, trying a variety of penalty corner routines, but Harte remained unbeatable, pulling off three successive saves in one sequence to maintain the Dragons’ advantage.
In the dying minutes, the Toofans finally broke through when Maico Casella converted their 13th penalty corner of the night, deflecting the ball past Harte to level the score at 2-2 with less than two minutes remaining.
In the ensuing penalty shootout, Harte’s dominance continued. The Irish goalkeeper saved four attempts, decisively tilting the match in favor of the Dragons, who clinched the shootout 4-3.
Match Summary:
Tamil Nadu Dragons 2 (Blake Govers 4’, Jip Janssen 37’) drew with Hyderabad Toofans 2 (Tim Brand 3’, Maico Casella 59’); Dragons won 4-3 via shootouts.
With this victory, the Dragons solidified their position as one of the top contenders in the HIL, thanks largely to Harte’s commanding presence in goal.
