The Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers clinched a place in the Hero Hockey India League 2024-25 final after defeating the Tamil Nadu Dragons 6-5 in a penalty shootout at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Friday. The Tigers came back from behind twice to force a penalty shootout. Pardeep Singh Sandhu (30’) and Sam Lane (53’) scored for the Tigers, while Nathan Ephraums (18’) and Selvam Karthi (32’) found the net for the Dragons.
Strong Defensive Play by the Tigers
The match began evenly, with both teams testing each other. However, the Tigers’ goalkeeper, Jamie Carr, was called into action early. He made a quick save to deny Jip Janssen’s drag flick. Shortly after, Carr rushed out to clear a threat from Ganesh Majji, who was unmarked at the post.
Penalty Corners Go Unconverted
In the 14th minute, the Tigers earned a penalty corner, but Jugraj Singh’s shot was well-saved by David Harte. The Tigers had two more penalty corners in the final seconds of the first quarter, but they failed to score, and the quarter ended 0-0.
Dragons Take the Lead
The Dragons opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Mohammed Raheel made a strong run into the circle and passed to Nathan Ephraums, who deflected the ball past Carr into the goal. From there, the Dragons controlled the tempo, keeping possession and frustrating the Tigers.
Tigers Respond with Equalizer
Despite the Dragons’ control, the Tigers stayed patient. In the 30th minute, they equalized through Pardeep Singh Sandhu. Abhishek set up Sandhu with a simple pass after dribbling past his marker.
In the first minute of the third quarter, the Dragons regained the lead. Anand Lakra dribbled into the circle and found Selvam Karthi, who flicked the ball past Carr. Despite this, the Tigers didn’t give up and continued to push forward.
Suspension Doesn’t Stop Tigers’ Fight
Things got worse for the Tigers in the 34th minute when Sebastien Dockier received a 10-minute suspension for an off-the-ball push. Despite being down a player, the Tigers came close to equalizing in the 40th minute. Atul Deep chipped the ball over Harte, but it hit the post.
Tigers’ Persistence Pays Off
The Tigers defended well despite being a player short. Their persistence paid off in the 53rd minute when they equalized again. From a quick free hit, Gauthier Boccard passed the ball to Atul Deep, who set up Sam Lane to score.
Penalty Shootout Drama
The match went to a penalty shootout after no further goals. Both teams missed two attempts in the first four rounds. After Dockier’s miss, Ephraums had the chance to win for the Dragons but shot wide.
Tigers Win in Sudden Death
In the sudden death round, the Tigers scored through Sukhjeet Singh, Sean Findlay, Florent van Aubel, and Abhishek. Meanwhile, the Dragons scored from Moritz, Govers, and Ephraums. However, Uttam Singh missed his attempt, and the Tigers secured the win, booking their place in the final.
