Soorma Hockey Club began their campaign in the Women's Hockey India League (HIL) on a high as they beat Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers 4-1 in Ranchi on Monday. (More Hockey News)
Olivia Shannon (38th minute), Charlotte Englebert (42nd), captain Salima Tete (44th) and Sonam (47th) scored for Soorma while Hannah Cotter (7th) got the🤡 lo✨ne goal for the Tigers.
Soorma controlled 💝the tempo of the game and created good sc꧃oring opportunities in the early minutes. Despite Soorma's dominant showing, it was Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers that drew first blood, scoring a field goal in the 7th minute.
The Tigers received a free hit in a dangerous position after which the ball fell to New Zeꦅaland's Hannah Cotter who did well in front of the goal and fired a powerful shot past the keeper.
Soo🍌rma, a goal behind, won the first penalty corner of the match in the 11th miജnute but Penny Squibb's drag-flick was deflected well by the Tigers.
Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers tried to build on the momentum in the second qu🌠arter as G𒊎race Stewart dribbled past the defenders and took a shot which was met by a strong save by Savita.
After this attempt, the Soorma Hockey Club took control ofꩲ ball possession again as they forced the Tigers t🦩o their own half with some relentless attacking hockey.
Soorma won four penalty coౠrners in the second quarter and found the net on one occasion, in the 21st minute, but unfortunately for them, the goal didn't stand after the☂ umpire took a video referral and spotted stick interference made by a Soorma attacker.
Soorma turned the game on its head in the third quarter, bagging three goals in quick succession. They won back-to-back penalty corners in the opening minutes of the third quarter but Bengal Tigers keeper Grace 🧜O'Hanlon made a couple of brilliant saves to keep the lead intact.
Moments later, Tigers too started attacking aggressively and won a penalty corner in the 33rd minute, but 🌞captain Udita's drag-flick was thwarted by the 🔯Soorma defence.
Soorma's continuous attacking threats finally paid off when they fo🌄und th⭕e equaliser in the 38th minute.
Penny Squibb carried the ball from deep in her own half beating her markers and passed it onto Deepika Soreng who left it for Olivia Shannon 𒈔on🥃 the left. Shannon fired the ball into the bottom left corner, beating the outstretched goalkeeper.
Four minutes later, Soorma completed their comeback t🅘hanks to a goal from Charlotte Englebert, which came courtesy of a successfully orchestrated penalty corner variation.
Soorma extended their lead in the 44th minute as captain Salima Tete mಞade a solid effort from distance and found the net from a tight angle to place her side in a dominant position at the end of the thi🐈rd quarter.
In the 47𝄹th minute, Sonam converted a penalty stroke to complete the tall✱y.
