On a chilly Monday evening in the Hockey India League, the UP Rudras edged past the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers 3-1 in a closely contested encounter. Despite being the home side and the last team standing from the previous edition, Kalinga fell short against a determined Rudras outfit.

The game, played in front of an enthusiastic crowd, was far tighter than the final score suggests. Both teams matched each other in skill and intent for much of the contest. Kalinga started brightly, banking on a blend of experienced overseas players and promising Indian youngsters. 

Angad Bir Singh, Boby Singh Dhami, and Dilpreet Singh were particularly impressive with their passing and positioning.

Their early efforts paid off in the 13th minute when Dhami set up an unmarked Enrique Gonzalez, who calmly slotted the ball home to give Kalinga the lead. However, the Lancers missed a golden opportunity to extend their advantage moments later, with UP goalkeeper James Mazarelo making crucial back-to-back saves from a penalty corner.

This defensive resilience allowed the Rudras to regroup and gradually take control of the game. The team, built around Indian midfielder Hardik Singh, relied heavily on his ability to dictate play. Hardik’s tireless work in finding gaps, creating scoring opportunities, and bolstering the defense proved instrumental.

Despite their growing dominance, UP found it difficult to break past Kalinga’s defense, with goalkeeper Krishan Pathak making a series of impressive saves. However, the deadlock was finally broken in the 45th minute when Kane Russell converted UP’s first penalty corner to level the scores.

With momentum firmly on their side, UP Rudras struck again four minutes later, with Sudeep Chirmako finding the back of the net to make it 2-1. Kalinga attempted a desperate comeback, pulling their goalkeeper in the dying minutes to add an extra attacker. This decision, however, backfired as Russell struck once more, sealing the victory for UP with a goal eight seconds before the final whistle.

Result:

UP Rudras 3 (Kane Russell 45’, 60’; Sudeep Chirmako 49’)
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers 1 (Enrique Gonzalez 13’).

The win highlighted UP’s tactical acumen and the influential role of Hardik Singh, while Kalinga will rue their missed opportunities despite a promising start. For the Lancers, it’s back to the drawing board, while the Rudras celebrate a well-earned triumph.