4 months ago
2
A melodramatic hat-trick by New Zealand defender Kane Russell, capped by a last-gasp winner, helped HIL GC borderline SG Pipers 3-2 successful a pulsating Men’s Hockey India League brushwood astatine the SDAT–Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium present connected Monday.
After a goalless and mostly drab archetypal half, the contention sprung to beingness aft the break, with the 3rd and 4th quarters delivering 5 goals.
While the teams lacked the cutting borderline successful the last 3rd successful the archetypal half, some sides impressed with their antiaircraft organisation and midfield structure. The goalkeepers were seldom tested aboriginal on, but the strength and prime roseate sharply aft the break, producing an breathtaking finish.
The deadlock was breached aboriginal successful the 3rd 4th erstwhile Pipers’ Ky Willott recovered abstraction successful a crowded circle.
A crisp walk from Tomas Domene recovered the Australian, who neatly spooned the shot past goalkeeper James Mazarelo.
The lead, however, was short-lived. HIL GC responded swiftly done Russell, whose blistering drag-flick disconnected a punishment country raced past goalkeeper Tomas Santiago. Seconds later, Russell struck again, producing a near-identical effort that slipped done the ’keeper’s legs to springiness his squad a 2-1 advantage.
Pipers fought backmost successful the 4th quarter, drafting level done Dilraj Singh, who finished disconnected a penalty-corner routine, aft a rebound. Moments earlier, Mazarelo had kept HIL GC successful the crippled with 3 outstanding saves from Domene’s almighty penalty-corner drives.
With the timepiece ticking, Russell — a seasoned of implicit 150 internationals — underlined wherefore helium was regarded arsenic 1 of the astir feared drag-flickers successful the game. A thunderous onslaught successful the dying seconds proved excessively overmuch for Santiago to handle, completing a memorable hat-trick for Russell and sealing a thrilling triumph for HIL GC.
The result: HIL GC 3 (Russell 35-pc, 37-pc, 60-pc) bt SG Pipers 2 (Willott 31, Dilraj 56-pc).
