Hockey India League: Hendrickx, Dhami on target as Kalinga Lancers beat defending champions Bengal Tigers to maintain perfect start

Alexander Hendrickx (R) had a part to play in both the Kalinga Lancers’ goals against Bengal Tigers. (PHOTO: HIL)

For three quarters of the match between Kalinga Lancers and Bengal Tigers on Thursday, it seemed like the run of high-scoring thrillers in Chennai at the men’s Hockey India League was coming to a cagey end. After 40 goals across seven previous matches, the Lancers and Tigers went 51 minutes just sparring at each other without landing a decisive punch, helped by some great goalkeeping by Krishan Pathak and Jamie Carr, respectively.

In the end, when you have a drag flicker of Alexander Hendrickx’s quality, it is bound to make a difference. The Belgium legend scored one and set up another in a thrilling finish as Lancers kept up their perfect start, clinching a narrow 2-1 victory over Bengal Tigers on Thursday. Hendrickx (52’) and Boby Singh Dhami (57’) scored for the winners, while Affan Yousuf (56’) netted for the Tigers.

Lancers began the game on the front foot, registering 11 circle entries compared to just a couple for the Tigers, but the script would flip in the second with the champion having 9 compared to their opponent’s three. Tigers grew into the game in the second quarter, finding some momentum to make inroads on the attacking end. But Pathak pulled off some exceptional saves in goal for the Lancers. Tigers continued to build on the momentum they found in the second quarter, pushing the Lancers back. It was Carr’s turn to pull out some top saves in the opening stages of the fourth quarter. However, his resistance was finally broken when Hendrickx’s drag-flick gave Lancers the lead.

It lasted for merely four minutes though, after a long ball was trapped by Enrique Gonzalez before the Spanish defender set up Affan for a tap-in, getting the Tigers back on level terms. Lancers responded instantly from a penalty corner after the goalkeeper’s initial save fell kindly for Dhami. The forward made no mistake from close range off the rebound.