Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons moved to the top of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025-26 standings with a hard-earned 3–2 win over JSW Soorma Hockey Club. The match was played at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Egmore on Tuesday. Although the Dragons controlled large parts of the game, they were tested late as Soorma pushed hard in the final quarter. Still, the hosts stayed composed and secured a crucial victory.

Selvaraj Kanagaraj scored in the 28th minute, followed quickly by Uttam Singh in the 30th minute. Blake Govers added the decisive third goal in the 47th minute. For Soorma, Maninder Singh pulled one back in the 45th minute, while captain Harmanpreet Singh kept the contest alive with a late goal in the 58th minute.

Cagey Opening as Both Sides Cancel Each Other Out

JSW Soorma began the match by holding possession deep in their half. However, the Dragons pressed aggressively and forced goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch into action within the first minute. Both teams entered the circle regularly but struggled to create clear scoring chances.

In the 10th minute, Dragons captain Amit Rohidas drove forward with the ball but lacked support. Soon after, the Dragons earned the first penalty corner in the 12th minute. Soorma defended it well, with Victor Wegnez playing a key role. As the quarter progressed, Harjeet received a green card. Despite the energy and intensity, the opening quarter ended goalless.

Dragons Take Control Before Half-Time

The tempo increased in the second quarter. The Dragons earned another penalty corner after strong work from Sander Kauffman. Blake Govers stepped up, but his flick was saved, and the rebound also failed to trouble Vanasch.

Moments later, Karthik made a strong run along the flank and found Nathan inside the circle. However, the shot missed the target. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 28th minute. Selvaraj Kanagaraj finished neatly after receiving a perfectly timed pass from Chandan Yadav on the right.

The Dragons then struck again just before the break. In the 30th minute, Uttam Singh doubled the lead with a sharp reverse hit to make it 2–0. The goal came shortly after Soorma’s Gurjant Singh was shown a green card, giving the hosts clear momentum going into half-time.

Soorma Fight Back After the Interval

After the break, Soorma showed greater urgency. Captain Harmanpreet Singh, playing on his birthday, won their first penalty corner in the 36th minute. However, they could not convert the chance. Akashdeep Singh later threatened from a tight angle, but the Dragons stayed disciplined at the back.

Soorma’s best opportunity came in the 42nd minute when Vivek Prasad found space inside the circle. Dragons goalkeeper David Harte reacted quickly and produced an excellent save. Soon after, drama unfolded when Nathan Ephramus thought he had scored for the Dragons, but the goal was ruled out for a backstick.

From the resulting free hit, Harmanpreet lifted the ball into the circle. A deflection fell to Maninder Singh, who struck with just one second remaining in the quarter. After a referral, the goal was allowed, and Soorma reduced the deficit to 2–1.

Govers Strikes, But Soorma Push to the End

Soorma carried their momentum into the final quarter and continued to press forward. Harte was tested again and stood firm under pressure. Against the flow of play, the Dragons struck decisively. Tom Craig made an excellent run from deep and played a precise pass to Blake Govers, who finished calmly in the 47th minute to restore a two-goal cushion at 3–1.

Soorma refused to give up. They earned a series of late penalty corners and pushed the Dragons deep into defence. In the 56th minute, Amit Rohidas blocked Harmanpreet’s attempt. Harte then made another important save moments later.

Finally, in the 58th minute, Harmanpreet Singh converted with a powerful drag-flick to make it 3–2. The closing minutes were tense as Soorma won two more penalty corners. However, the Dragons defended bravely and saw out the game.

Dragons Secure Top Spot

Under heavy late pressure, Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons showed composure and resilience. The win took them to the top of the Men’s Hero Hockey India League table with five points, underlining their strong start to the season.