‘Real competition’ begins as teams for fight for final berth

Harmanpreet Singh leads Soorma Hockey Club in intense Hockey India League semifinals against top contenders.

Soorma Hockey Club skipper Harmanpreet Singh signalled that the ‘real competition’ of the Hockey India League starts when the semifinals will be held at the Birsa Munda Stadium here on Friday.

Table-topper Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers will take on Amit Rohidas’ Tamil Nadu Dragons, which finished fourth, in the first semifinal. Former India international Rupinder Pal Singh was rested for the team’s final pool fixture as a precaution after a calf strain, but showed no signs of trouble in training on Thursday, while declaring himself fit.

His leadership and experience will be crucial for Tigers at the back alongside, Jugraj Singh, who is leading the charts from short corners with nine goals. The pair’s 12 goals from penalty corners (PCs) is the joint-best in the tournament along with Hyderabad Toofans.

Dragons were atop the table for the better part of the pool stage before a late stutter, nearly dumped them out of the top four. Dragons will need to start stronger than they did against UP Rudras on Wednesday, where they fell 0-2 behind in the opening quarter.

Jip Janssen, who has seven goals from PCs, will hope his forwards can win more opportunities for him to showcase his skills. Dragons have the best conversion rate (29.7 per cent) from the lowest number of PCs (37).

In the second semifinal, two in-form teams Soorma Hockey Club and Toofans will battle it. Soorma have been undefeated in their last four matches since Hamanpreet’s return from injury. His key goals from short corners and passing from the back have helped unlock the opponent’s defences.

Toofans have not lost their last seven games in regulation time with just two penalty shoot-out defeats in that period. Toofans have conceded the least amount of goals and up front, has one of the best forwards in the league in Tim Brand, who has scored six field goals.