Hockey India League 2024/25: Hyderabad Toofans Overcome Delhi SG Pipers in Sudden Death, Earn First Point of Season

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Hyderabad Toofans landed first points of the Hockey India League 2024/25 season after overcoming Delhi SG Pipers in sudden death during the league phase fixture at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Tuesday (December 31).

After the match ended 2-2 in regulation time and the two teams were locked in a tie following the penalty shootuts at 4-4 scoreline, Toofans claimed the 5-4 win in sudden death, holding their nerves to earn the crucial bonus point.

Hyderabad Toofans took a 2-0 lead through Amandeep Lakra (11th minute) and Gonzalo Peillat (13th) before Delhi SG Pipers drew level with goals from Dilraj Singh (21st) and Gareth Furlong (50th).

Hyderabad Toofans broke the deadlock through Amandeep in the 11th minute after a perfectly executed penalty corner. Amandeep generated a lot of power with his low driving shot that left Delhi SG Pipers goalkeeper Pawan with no chance.

The Hyderabad side scored a quick second a minute from the first quarter off a penalty corner through Peillat. Delhi SG Pipers reduced the margin in the 21st minute through Dhiraj, who showed great presence of mind to lift the ball over the Toofans keeper.

In the 34th minute, Hyderabad's Rajinder Singh hit a low driving shot from distance, which took a deflection and ended up at the back of the net but the goal was not counted as the final touch came outside the circle.

In the 37th minute, Delhi SG Pipers had its first penalty-corner of the match but they could not capitalise on the chance as Hyderabad went into the third quarter with a 2-1 lead. It was do-or-die battle in the third quarter but both the sides failed to get any result despite creating numerous opportunities.

Delhi SG Pipers finally drew level in the 50th minute when Furlong scored from a well-executed penalty-corner. Peillat came close to scoring the winner for Hyderabad two minutes from time but his shot from the penalty corner rattled the post and came back into play.

With both teams failing to find the winner, the match went into shoot-out where Hyderabad came out victorious, finding success in sudden death after nothing could separate the two teams even in the penalty shoot-out, where Toofans held their nerves to clinch the bonus point with 5-4 win in the shootout.