Rourkela: Sangita Kumari and Deepika scored a goal apiece to help Delhi SG Pipers end their winless run in the Women’s Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 with a 2-0 victory over table-toppers Soorma Hockey Club at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Friday. Sangita Kumari (25’) handed Delhi SG Pipers the lead in the second quarter and Deepika (47’) scored the second goal in the last quarter to seal their team’s first victory of the season.
The Delhi SG Pipers started the match strongly, displaying smooth ball movement and effectively cutting off the opposition’s passing lanes. Meanwhile, the JSW Soorma Hockey Club demonstrated an outstanding defensive structure, successfully denying the Pipers any clear scoring opportunities despite the mounting pressure.
Midway through the quarter, the Pipers earned a penalty corner, but Stephanie de Groof’s attempt failed to trouble Savita in goal. Soorma stepped up the pace as the quarter came to a close, making it an end-to-end game but neither team could find the back of the net.
Soorma were sharper as the second quarter began, winning possession in midfield and rushing onto the Pipers’ circle but they failed to mount a shot on goal. Their pressure earned a penalty corner, but Jyoti’s effort was shut down. The momentum shifted as the Pipers pushed Soorma back, creating multiple scoring opportunities. Savita, however, delivered an outstanding performance in goal.
With six minutes left in the quarter, the Pipers capitalized on a penalty corner when Sangita Kumari deftly deflected Stephanie de Groof’s shot into the net, marking the first goal of the season for Delhi SG Pipers. The Pipers went on to earn a slew of penalty corners towards the end of the quarter but Soorma’s Maria Verschoor and the defensive unit put their bodies on the line to avert any danger to the goal.
Soorma employed a high press as the third quarter began, pegging the Pipers back into their circle but they endured without granting Soorma a clear goalscoring chance. Against the run of play, the Pipers earned a penalty corner halfway through the quarter but failed to capitalise. Soon after, Soorma’s Vaishnavi took a powerful shot on goal from the top of the circle but Elodie Picard was alert to kick it away.
Soorma went on to earn a few penalty corners as the quarter came to a close but their efforts were saved and the Pipers managed to maintain their lead in the face of significant pressure. Delhi SG Pipers earned a penalty as soon as the last quarter began and Deepika stepped up to unleash a thunderous flick to the left corner and double their lead. Soorma responded by earning a penalty corner of their own minutes later but they failed to capitalise.
The Pipers wrestled control over the ball halfway through the quarter in an attempt to slow down the tempo of the game. However, Soorma pushed ahead in search of a goal but were thwarted and the match came to a close in favour of the Pipers.
(IANS)
