The Hyderabad Toofans claimed a decisive 5-1 victory over the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers in the Hero Hockey India League 2024-25 at Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela, on Sunday.

Early Kalinga Lancers Lead

The Lancers made an early breakthrough in the 5th minute. Alexander Hendrickx scored a powerful penalty corner, giving his team a 1-0 lead. However, Hyderabad responded almost immediately. Within a minute, Gonzalo Peillat fired a shot past goalkeeper Krishan Pathak to level the score at 1-1.

Toofans Take Control

As the game progressed, Hyderabad grew stronger. In the 21st minute, Maico Casella put them ahead with a stunning volley. Zachary Wallace sent a brilliant aerial pass to Casella, who skillfully volleyed it into the top corner from a tight angle. Just before halftime, Peillat struck again, scoring a drag flick to make it 3-1.

Hyderabad Extends Lead

The Toofans continued their dominance after the break. In the 47th minute, Tim Brand added a fourth goal to give Hyderabad a comfortable 4-1 lead. Despite several attempts from the Lancers, they couldn’t break through Hyderabad’s solid defense.

Arshdeep Seals the Win

With less than six minutes left, the Lancers pulled their goalkeeper in an effort to find more goals. However, Hyderabad made them pay. Arshdeep Singh capitalized on the open net, scoring in the 54th minute to seal the 5-1 victory for the Toofans.

Toofans Move to Second Place

Thanks to the convincing win, Hyderabad Toofans moved up to second place in the standings. They now look to continue their strong performance in the league.