Bhubaneswar: Vincent Vanasch put in a stellar performance in goal to help Soorma Hockey Club beat Kalinga Lancers 4-3 in the Hero Hockey India League at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Sunday. Jeremy Hayward (11`), Nicolas della Torre (35`), Harmanpreet Singh (50`) and Harish Somappa (52`) scored for Soorma Hockey Club while Thierry Brinkman (5`), Sanjay (30`) and Gursahibjit Singh (50`) were on target for the Lancers.
In a match which saw the Lancers notch 26 circle penetrations and nine shots in comparison to the Soorma’s 14 circle penetrations and seven shots, it was Vanasch’s heroics in goal which laid the foundations of Soorma’s win.
The home side started strongly as they put pressure on the Soorma Hockey Club defence with multiple circle entries in the opening minutes. The Lancers deservedly took the lead in the fifth minute through Thierry Brinkman.
Soorma only needed to wait a minute more for their goal and it indeed came via a penalty corner. However this time, the injection went to Hayward at the second battery with Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Sanjay unable to fully block the Australian’s drag flick. The ball hit both players before rolling into the goal to level the scores in the 11th minute.
The Lancers won a penalty corner right before the hooter went to mark the end of the quarter. The Lancers switched their tactics up by injecting the ball to Sanjay at the second battery instead of the more experienced Alexander Hendricks at the first battery. The young Indian was on the money with his drag flick to give his side the lead right at the end of the first quarter.
Soorma had a good spell of possession towards the end of the quarter and could have levelled the match once again but for some stunning defence from the Lancers. The home side put two rushers to block Harmanpreet’s drag flick and they did just that.
The ball was recycled to the post where a Soorma player scooped the ball over Pathak only to see it swatted away on the line by Arthur van Doren.
Soorma came close to taking the lead in the fourth quarter. Gurjant Singh got the ball in the circle. With his back to goal, the Indian forward made space before hitting a tomahawk shot. The ball whizzed past the post.
In the 48th minute, the Lancers fashioned another good chance as Bandurak tried to hit the ball from between his legs from point blank range. Vanasch was positioned perfectly to save it.
Harmanpreet finally opened his Hockey India League account in the 50th minute to give Soorma the lead for the first time in the match. The Indian captain fired his drag flick straight down the goal with Sanjay unable to save it.
The lead barely lasted a minute as the Lancers hit back through Gursahibjit Singh. Kina dribbled past Harmanpreet in the circle and made his way to the goal line. The Belgian player cut the ball back towards the front of goal where Gursahibjit turned it past Vanasch to make it 3-3.
There was barely any time for the fans to catch their breath before Soorma scored to snatch the lead. Phil Roper danced past a couple of defenders before playing the ball towards the far post. Harish Somappa slid in to poke the ball into the empty goal to make it 4-3 for Soorma in the 52nd minute.
The Lancers won a pair of penalty corners but both Hendrickx and Sanjay were unable to make it count.
The Lancers won a penalty stroke in the 58th minute as Vivek Sagar Prasad was judged to have deliberately brought down Aran Zalewski in the circle. Vanasch won the battle of the Belgians as he went the right way to save Hendrickx’s attempt.
Player of the Match Vincent Vanasch said, “Penalty strokes are always a bit about luck. I chose the right side. It was a tough match with seven goals but I am happy we got the three points”
