Team Gonasika Vs Delhi SG Pipers Highlights, HIL 2024-25: DSGP Win The Shoot-Out To Take 2 Points

Rajkumar holds his nerve to beat the goalkeeper and make it 4-2 on the last swipe. A well-deserved bonus point for the Delhi SG Pipers who star the HIL well. Gonasika fought and fought but just fell short. What a start this was to the league — perhaps just what the fans missed for all these years!

Surabh scores after GSKA’s first goal to make it 3-1. But GSKA stay alive with a brilliant goal to the roof of the net from their Number 10!

Mandeep misses again and it stays 2-0 but Willott fails to win it as he barges into the goalkeeper. 2-0 it stays!

Domene scores after two goals in the match and Delhi are 2-0 up!

Domene scores after two goals in the match and Delhi are 2-0 up!

Walker tries the same strategy but misses his first shot!

Delhi begin the shoot-out and the skipper spins the goalkeeper to score!

The final quarter ends all-square as well and we’ll now go into a 5-shot-each shoot-out! One point each for the teams and now they’ll compete for the bonus point. What a crazy opener this has been. The goalkeepers have been the Players of the Match. And we don’t know if it’ll be decided with just 5 each!

The final quarter ends all-square as well and we’ll now go into a 5-shot-each shoot-out! One point each for the teams and now they’ll compete for the bonus point. What a crazy opener this has been. The goalkeepers have been the Players of the Match. And we don’t know if it’ll be decided with just 5 each!

Nikkin is brought down just outside the 5 metres and the physio is called up. 20 seconds left on the clock!

Two great saves from Payne go to waste as a penalty corner is given for back-stick in Gonasika’s circle. It’s referred but they’ll lose the referral! Let’s see what happens on this one: it comes off the post to deny Domene a hat-trick! Gonasika counter-attack quickly but don’t convert the final action. Meanwhile, Willott is given a Green Card. Ooooof!

A lot of edge-of-the-seat action, one goal, multiple PCS and the match is still level! The score is 2-2 as we go into the final quarter.

Once again, the Delhi SG Pipers earn a PC in the final minute of the quarter. The first is blocked and the second sees a stunning double save from the goalkeeper!

Domene is the man once again. He gets his brace as Delhi somehow walk the ball into the GSKA net. 2-2 now!

Gonasika earns the first PC of the half through Hunda. It isn’t given immediately but the umpire’s review earns them that. The ‘keeper gets a foot to the sizzling flick from Victor Charlet but can’t stop it! Brilliant goal.

Team Gonasika 2 – 1 Delhi SG Pipers

We are up and underway for the second half of this nail-biter. It’s anybody’s game right now. Your guess on who’ll win this is as good as ours!

That Quarter was the complete opposite of the last one. Gonasika turned up right from the get-go and put up a lot of pressure on Delhi. In the end, their persistence led to a beautiful equalizer. Most of that quarter was played in Delhi’s half and the only bright spot they had was a PC, which they couldn’t convert.

In the dying minutes of the second quarter, Delhi get their second PC. It deflects multiple times around the goalkeeper Pane after a good sliding save. It goes on and off him and ends up safely for both teams. Willock had an injury concern but he’s good to go.

A beautiful team move from GSKA is deflected off the post and Walker is in the right place at the right time to home it in. Game on!

Mandeep is pushed on the left-wing in the circle and GSKA finally get their first penalty corner. They can’t convert it though, as the injection is poor and the flicker pushes it wide.

Varun Kumar receives the first card of HIL 2024 for shoving Mandeep on the back at the right wing. He now sits out for a while and watches his team.

Surely some quick words have been said in the GSKA dressing room because they are pushing hard in the early stages of this quarter. Can they convert it though?

A thrilling 15 minutes of HIL action ends with Delhi SG Pipers in a one-goal lead they earned through Toman Domene’s Penalty Corner flick in the early stages of the match! GSKA grew in the game slowly but couldn’t find the right decisions in the circle.

GSKA earns their first penalty corner as Rohit is hit on the body in the circle. But the decision is referred and the TV official reverses the on-field call.

Manpreet steals the ball on the left flank and receives a brilliant pass in the Delhi circle from the mid-field but ends up hitting air with his swipe… big miss for GSKA.

Delhi has dominated the possession numbers since the goal. GSKA are showing some nice pressing patterns but aren’t able to sustain the turnovers for long.

Delhi earn the first penalty corner of HIL 2024 and Toman Domene SCOREEEEES! What a start for the Men in Orange. DSGP 1 – GSKA 0.

These players have only had 10-12 days with each other and a lack of cohesion is tangible. A scratchy start limited to the mid-field for both teams.

There comes the first flick of the hockey ball and we are underway in the opener of HIL 2024. Delhi are in Orange to the right from the dug-out and Gonasika are to the left in light blue.

The players are announced one by one. The dignitaries arrive to shake hands with the players. The crowd stands up for the National Anthem of India, Jana Gana Mana.

Delhi SG Pipers called it right and won the first toss of HIL 2024!

Coaches Graham Reid of Delhi’s SG Pipers and Revington Paul of Gonasika spoke 10 minutes ahead of the start of the match. Both said they were delighted to be back in India. Remember, Reid coached India and played many times here in Rourkela. Whereas Paul was England’s coach in the recent Paris Olympics.

Odisha Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram takes the stage and starts by paying tribute to Dr. Manmohan Singh. He also declares the league officially open. “Let the game begin,” he says.  Before him, FIH President Ikram Tayyab also paid tribute to Dr Manmohan Singh and congratulated the Indian men’s hockey team for their 2024 Paris Olympics bronze.

After celebrating a few guests, including former Hockey players, the stage invited the captains of all teams and unveiled the beautiful trophy for the event.

The HIL had planned a star-studded opening night involving performances by Bollywood actor Sara Ali Khan and popular singer King. However, as a mark of respect to the late Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the Hockey India League governing committee has canceled the shows. A small ceremony began at 7pm IST and the opening match will begin at 8:15pm IST as scheduled.