Soorma Club set to take on Rudras today

After registering a win in their opening tie of the Hockey India League (HIL) in Rourkela, Soorma Hockey Club is set take on the Uttar Pradesh Rudras in their second match at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on January 2.

In their previous tie, Soorma gained a bonus point against the Tamil Nadu Dragons. Meanwhile, the UP Rudras secured three points in their first match with a commanding 3-1 victory over the Kalinga Lancers. “I think the first half was a bit of a chess game, whereas the third quarter saw both teams pick up momentum. The first goal opened up the game a bit, and we started creating more chances after that,” said head coach Jeroen Baart.

He further added, “When you look back at it, the statistics and the footage, we should have come out with all three points. But when you are losing 1-0 with seven minutes to go, you have to be satisfied with a draw and a bonus point from the shootout.”

Meanwhile, looking ahead to the match against the Rudras, Baart acknowledged the competitive nature of the tournament. “As we have already seen in the first few games of the HIL, it is going to be close. It’s nice that it’s always exciting until the end, and each game will be a tight contest. It’s going to be an interesting tactical puzzle.”

Soorma’s Belgian midfielder Victor Wegnez emphasised on the importance of having a solid defensive work and making the most of penalty corner opportunities. “I think for us the key will be to defend first and try to get as many penalty corners as we can. We have very good defenders and a strong team for penalty corners with the likes of Harmanpreet, Jeremy Hayward and Nicolas Della Torre,” said the 29-year-old.