Toofans blow away the Lancers’ challenge

Toofans blow away the Lancers’ challenge

ROURKELA: Hyderabad Toofans rode on German drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat’s brace to record a second come-from-behind win on consecutive days, as it thrashed Vedanta Kalinga Lancers 5-1, in the Hockey India League at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Sunday. Toofans’ second outright victory promoted it to the second spot.

Lancers suffered because of their below-par short corner conversion — only one of 11 — while Toofans’ benefitted from the great work of its keepers Vikas Dahiya and Dominic Dixon, and their fellow defenders.

An eventful first quarter saw turnovers and eight penalty corners, of which Lancers earned five. Both sides scored a goal apiece, too. Alex Hendrickx executed a low drag-flick to put Lancers ahead in the fifth minute and Peillat returned the favour in a similar manner in the next minute.

The closing seconds of the first period witnessed a heated exchange between players of both sides after Lancers were awarded their fifth penalty corner.

Maico Casella scored a freakish goal in the 21st minute to give Toofans the lead and the momentum. The Argentinian, posted on the right, brought down Zachary Wallace’s long aerial pass from the left and hammered in a cross-batted cricket shot from a narrow angle as the ball sailed over custodian Krishan Pathak’s head and left him stunned.

Lancers created some good moves in the second quarter but could not find the equaliser.

Toofans, after seeing Shilanand Lakra hitting straight into Pathak’s body off a counterattack, made it 2-1 as Peillat unleashed a diagonal drag-flick at the stroke of half-time.