Hockey India League: A Soorma without Harmanpreet loses 1-2 to Gonasika

Team Gonasika beats JSW Soorma Club 2-1 in Hockey India League despite missing Harmanpreet Singh.

Team Gonasika saw off some anxious moments to beat JSW Soorma Club, which missed the services of its ace drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh, 2-1 in the Hockey India League at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Tuesday (January 14, 2025).

However, Gonasika’s second win could not lift it from the seventh position. Soorma also remained stationary after its third loss.

Belgian midfielder Victor Wegnez, who returned after missing three matches due to fitness issues, wore the captain’s armband even though Harmanpreet’s name was there on the team-sheet.

Soorma earned a penalty corner in the first quarter but postman Yashdeep Siwach did well to stop Nicolas della Torre’s attempt.

Gonasika had a bigger share of possession and posed more threats. Once Timothee Clement shot a loose ball inside the ‘D’ to keeper Vincent Vanasch, while his French colleague Victor Charlet’s drag-flick was wasted at the stroke of the first break.

Soorma, despite limited options in rotation due to Harmanpreet’s unavailability owing to his left ankle injury in the previous match, gathered two short corners in the second quarter.

Gonasika created some fine moves and dominated in terms of penetrations but could not beat the Soorma defence, primarily guarded by della Torre, Jeremy Hayward and debutant goalkeeper H.S. Mohith’s – which allowed five foreigners on the field.