JSW Soorma Hockey Club pulled off a thrilling 3-1 shootout victory against Hyderabad Toofans after the two teams were locked at 1-1 in regulation time in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26 match on Friday. The match took place at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai.

Soorma captain Harmanpreet Singh (20') found the net during open play, while Amandeep Lakra (46') scored for Hyderabad Toofans. After a tightly fought contest, the match moved to a shootout, where Soorma showed greater composure to seal the bonus point.

Strong Defending Marks Cagey Opening Quarter

The opening quarter saw both sides make several circle entries and create early chances. However, defenders from both teams stood firm and blocked every attacking move.

JSW Soorma Hockey Club started aggressively and earned the first penalty corner in the third minute. Harmanpreet Singh stepped up, but the first rusher stopped his dragflick. Soon after, Soorma created two more clear chances as they increased pressure. Yet, Hyderabad Toofans goalkeeper Bikramjit Singh produced two outstanding saves in quick succession to keep the scores level.

At the other end, Hyderabad Toofans won three penalty corners in a row in the eighth minute. Still, Soorma’s backline stayed disciplined and denied them any breakthrough.

Harmanpreet Breaks the Deadlock Before Half-Time

The tempo picked up in the second quarter. JSW Soorma Hockey Club finally converted their dominance into a goal when captain Harmanpreet Singh (20') struck from a penalty corner.

He fired a low-driven dragflick that slipped into the bottom left corner of the goal, giving Soorma the lead. After scoring, Soorma controlled possession and slowed the game down. As a result, they went into half-time with a narrow but deserved advantage.

Missed Chances Keep Match on a Knife Edge

After the break, Hyderabad Toofans pushed harder for an equaliser. In the 34th minute, Amandeep Lakra unleashed a powerful flick from a penalty corner, but the ball went just wide.

Soon after, JSW Soorma Hockey Club earned another penalty corner. This time, Jeremy Hayward took the shot, but Bikramjit Singh once again came up big with a sharp save to keep Toofans in the contest.

Lakra Levels as Late Pressure Builds

The final quarter began with renewed urgency from Hyderabad Toofans. Early on, they earned a crucial penalty corner. Amandeep Lakra (46') stepped up and delivered a fierce dragflick to beat the goalkeeper and level the scores.

Hyderabad Toofans continued to attack. In the 54th minute, Devindar Walmiki sent a sharp pass into the circle from the right flank, and Tim Brand tried to deflect it in. However, the ball missed the target by inches.

As the pressure mounted, Arshdeep Singh held the ball well inside the circle and fired a back-handed shot. This time, JSW Soorma goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch reacted quickly and made a strong save. With no further goals, the match moved into a shootout.

Soorma Hold Nerve in Shootout Drama

JSW Soorma Hockey Club dominated the shootout and won it 3-1. Harmanpreet Singh and Nicolas Keenan converted their attempts with confidence.

The decisive moment came during Nicolas della Torre’s attempt when Toofans goalkeeper Bikramjit Singh conceded a penalty stroke for a stick-check. Harmanpreet Singh stepped up once more and calmly slotted the stroke, sealing the win and the bonus point for JSW Soorma Hockey Club.