Kalinga Lancers Dominate with Unyielding 5-1 Triumph over Delhi Pipers

In a dominant display, the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers defeated Delhi SG Pipers 5-1 at the Hero Hockey India League match in Rourkela. Pivotal performances by Nicholas Bandurak, Arthur van Doren, and Thierry Brinkman led the Lancers to a decisive victory, cementing their place as a formidable force in the league.

The Vedanta Kalinga Lancers delivered a commanding performance with an emphatic 5-1 victory over the Delhi SG Pipers in the Hero Hockey India League fixture held at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela, on Thursday. Key contributions came from Nicholas Bandurak, Arthur van Doren, Thierry Brinkman, and Gursahibjit Singh, who racked up goals, overshadowing a solitary consolation goal from the Pipers' Corey Weyer.

In a lively start, the Delhi SG Pipers initiated early pressure and secured the match's first penalty corner by the fourth minute, only to be thwarted by a decisive block from goalkeeper Krishan Pathak. The Lancers, however, broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when Bandurak capitalized on a rebound to score. Despite the Pipers' aggressive play and possession advantage in the first half, their efforts were matched by stellar defense from Pathak, keeping the Lancers' lead intact at halftime.

The second half saw the Lancers escalate their attacking prowess. Doubling their lead in the 36th minute, Van Doren executed a skillful penalty corner tactic. Brinkman followed with two subsequent goals, elevating the score to 4-0 and marking his ascent as the league's top scorer. Gursahibjit Singh further solidified the win by adding the fifth goal, while a late response from Weyer ensured a consolation goal for the Pipers.

(With inputs from agencies.)