The Men’s Hockey India League delivered another classic on Wednesday in Bhubaneswar, where Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons defeated Ranchi Royals 4-2 via penalty shootout after a pulsating 3-3 draw. The bonus point from the win gives Dragons momentum heading into the business end of the season.
Ranchi Royals clinched second in the standings, earning a clash with Kalinga Lancers in Friday’s Qualifier-1. Hyderabad Hurricanes are playoff-bound, but Surma Hockey Club must demolish SG Pipers by 7 goals tomorrow to join them.
Royals dominated early quarters. Mandeep Singh scored in the 1st minute off a rebound, followed by Tom Boon’s 9th-minute penalty corner goal, where he reacted quickest to his own shot’s block. Dragons clawed back with Blake Govers’ 24th-minute penalty corner strike.
Karthi Selvam leveled at 2-2 in the 32nd with a clinical finish. Boon’s 35th-minute penalty stroke made it 3-2, but Govers equalized again in the 53rd from a set piece. Ranchi’s Arjunjit came agonizingly close with a reverse shot, only for Suraj Karkara to save and push it to shootout.
Dragons’ shooters – Nathan Ephrams, Blake Govers, Uttam Singh, and Tom Craig – delivered perfectly, while Royals missed chances. As HIL playoffs loom, this match highlights the skill and resilience defining top teams in India’s premier domestic league.