HIL: Rupinder brace guides Bengal Tigers to victory

Rupinder Pal Singh rolled back the years with a brace, helping the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers beat Team Gonasika 2-1 in their Hero Hockey India League match in Rourkela on Wednesday.

Rupinder (31st and 48th minute) scored from a penalty corner and a penalty stroke, while Manpreet Singh scored Team Gonasika's solitary goal.

Team Gonasika controlled the tempo of the match with the trio of Vishnukanth Singh, Jack Waller and Jake Draper busy in the middle of the park. SK Uthappa gave Gonasika their first big chance as he won a penalty corner midway through the first quarter.

The Bengal Tigers would have another crack at taking the lead in the first quarter with Sukhjeet winning a penalty corner in the final minute. Oliver Payne once again kept Jugraj Singh's attempt at bay.

The

second quarter was a scratchy affair as neither side created any clear cut opportunities.

The opening five minutes of the third quarter had more action than the previous two quarters combined as both sides scored once each and had a couple of big chances.

The Bengal Tigers were the ones to break the deadlock as Sukhjeet won a sixth penalty corner in the opening minute. Rupinder fired in an unstoppable shot to give his side the lead in the 31st minute.

The celebration lasted less than a minute as Gonasika equalised as soon as play restarted.

The intensity lessened a bit as both sides focused on staying solid in defence and not committing mistakes. Sukhjeet had the final big chance of the quarter as he led a solo counter in the final minute before drawing a good save from his India teammate Karkera.

The Bengal Tigers retook the lead early in the fourth quarter as Abhishek won a penalty stroke in the 48th minute. Up stepped Rupinder Pal and he coolly found the bottom corner of the goal past Payne.