Team Gonasika 2-2 Delhi SG Pipers Highlights, Hockey India League: DSGP Win In Penalty Shootouts

🅺The match will begin at 8:15pm IST at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. It will be live telecast on DD Sports, Sony Sports 1, Sony Sports 3 and Sony Sports 4 TV channels in India. It will be live streamed on the Sony Liv app and website and the OTT app Waves in India.

There is a modification in the opening ceremony programme, which begins at 7pm. As a mark of respect for the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the Hockey India League governing committee has cancelled scheduled performances by Bollywood actor Sara Ali Khan and popular singer King at the opening ceremony. The match between Team Gonasika and Delhi SG Pipers will, nevertheless begin at 8:15pm as scheduled.

🧜The opening ceremony has begun, and as was reported, the performances by Bollywood actor Sara Ali Khan and popular singer King will not take place in light of Dr Manmohan Singh's passing away. Instead, a two-minute silence is observed for the former PM at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Rourkela.

🎀All eight teams are being introduced on stage, one by one and each squad member being hailed in a welcome move to familiarize the spectators with the players. A loud roar rings out at the venue as India's ace drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, who is leading Soorma Hockey Club, is named.

The HIL trophy is unveiled in the presence of several dignitaries like former India players Zafar Iqbal and Ignace Tirkey, and current national men's and women's skippers Harmanpreet Singh 𒉰and Salima Tete. The league is then officially thrown open, and anchor Jay Bhanushali signs off. The opening ceremony is done and dusted, and we now await the start of the opener.

Team Gonasika:

🍒Defenders: Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Amir Ali, Birendra Lakra, Yogember Rawat, Timothy Howard (Australia), Dipsan Tirkey, Anmol Ekka 

🔯Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Vishnukant Singh, Lee Morton (Great Britain), Jack Waller (Great Britain), Jacob Draper (Wales), Clement Timothee (France), Yashdeep Siwach, SK Uthappa 

ꦚForwards: Mandeep Singh, Walker Struan (Great Britain), Araijeet Singh Hundal, Charlet Victor (France), SV Sunil, Nikkin Thimmaiah 

💜Goalkeepers: Oliver Payne (Great Britain), Suraj Karkera, Kamalbir Singh 

Delhi SG Pipers:

♛Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Rohit, Pau Clapes (Spain), Joginder Singh, Corey Weyer (Australia), Gareth Furlong (Great Britain) 

🦄Midfielders: Shamsher Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Willott KY (Australia), Ankit Pal, Lucas Toscani (Argentina), Jake Whetton (Australia), Manjeet, Thokchom Kingson Singh 

🍨Forwards: Tomas Domene (Argentina), Koji Yamasaki (Japan), Dilraj Singh, Aditya Lalage, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Sumit Kumar, Iktidar Ishrat 

ꦏGoalkeepers: Benjamin Rennie (Australia), Pawan, Adarsh G

♏And so, after an eight-year wait, the Hockey India League is officially back and action is underway at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium. Team Gonasika attacking from left to right, and Delhi SG Pipers from right to left.

🐈We have the first goal of the league in the fifth minute of game 1. Tomas Domene strikes in the fifth minute via a penalty corner. His booming drag-flick zooms past Gonasika goalie Oliver Payne, and Delhi SG Pipers go ahead early in Rourkela.

ꦅGonasika try hard but are unable to find the equaliser in the first quarter, which ends with Delhi SG Pipers ahead 1-0. Still 45 minutes of play to come, however.

🐈Gonasika are back in their pursuit of the equaliser. They are getting close, hovering around the circle but not getting the finish yet in the second quarter. Oliver Payne, meanwhile, pulls off a couple of superb saves to keep Delhi at bay. Action getting more end-to-end now.

🐲Gonasika earn their first penalty corner, but are unable to make anything of it. The injection is a bit awry, and the resulting drag flick hence lacks venom and is cleared by the Delhi defence. Still 1-0 in favour of the SG Pipers.

😼Gonasika finally have the equaliser. After a series of near misses, they finally find the back of the net via a field goal. Nikkin Thimmaiah's smart flick hits the upright but the rebound is driven home by Struan Walker.

🥂The second quarter ends with the momentum somewhat in Gonasika's favour. They have not only found the leveller but also rattled the Delhi side a bit with their circle penetrations. Some time to cool off for both teams now, as we head into half-time with the score at 1-1.

♚Delhi SG Pipers attacking from left to right, and Team Gonasika from right to left in the second half. Delhi trying to retain possession in the early exchanges, in their bid for a second goal.

🌼Team Gonasika are in the lead for the first time in the game. And it's the 31-year-old Victor Charlet who puts them ahead with a powerful drag-flick. Araijeet Singh Hundal was the one to generate the penalty corner for Gonasika, and they make the most of it to pile further pressure on Delhi.

🥀What a topsy-turvy game this is turning out to be. Moments after Gonasika went ahead, Delhi draw level and it's that man Tomas Domene who strikes again, this time via a smart deflection into the goal. The scoreline now reads 2-2 and the third quarter is into its last couple of minutes. Will we see another twist in the tale?

🐲Remember, if it stays at 2-2, we head to a penalty shoot-out.

🀅The hooter rings out, and we will soon head into the fourth and final quarter, with the match tantalisingly poised at 2-2. Both teams will try to find the winner, if they wish to avoid a shootout.

𒁏Gonasika custodian Oliver Payne is having a spectacular match, with a string of crucial saves keeping Delhi at bay. We are now into the last three minutes of the game, with the scoreline still reading 2-2.

♊The final hooter has rung out, and the match ends in a 2-2 stalemate. After a thoroughly entertaining 60 minutes of regulation play, we now head to the penalty shootouts. Buckle up for some more excitement.

ಞThe penalty shootouts go Delhi's way. The Pipers convert four of their five attempts, with Whetton, Domene , Sourabh and Raj Kumar Pal sounding the board for them. Only Waller and Clement  could score for Gonasika, and thus, Delhi SG Pipers walk away with the valuable bonus point.

🦹After a cracking opening fixture, HIL has a double-header lined up for Sunday. Hyderabad Toofans will meet Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers at 6pm, and Soorma Hockey Club face Tamil Nadu Dragons at 8:15pm.