"Made a comeback and played high-energy hockey": Vandana Kataria after winning against Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers

The last Pool stage match of the Women's Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 witnessed JSW Soorma Hockey Club defeat Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers by 4-2 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi today. With this victory, JSW Soorma Hockey Club have set up the Final clash against Odisha Warriors on Sunday, as per a release from HIL.

"We thought of starting the match with high energy but were not able to get a good start. We made a comeback and played high-energy hockey," Vandana Kataria said while speaking to ANI.

Charlotte Englebert (1', 17', 47') dominated the game, scoring a superb hattrick while Hina Bano (9') pitched in with a goal for Soorma. Captain Vandana Katariya (48') and Shilpi Dabas (58') found the back of the net in the last quarter but were unable to change the outcome of the game.

Charlotte Englebert took the Tigers by surprise as soon as the game began by picking up a loose pass from the Tigers on top of the circle and thundering a shot past the goalkeeper Grace O'Hanlon. Soorma, after gaining the early advantage in the game, maintained the pressure high up the pitch in the minutes that followed. Halfway through the quarter, Sharmila Devi found Hina Bano from the right wing, who dashed across her marker in front of the goal and squeezed the ball past Grace to double Soorma's lead. The high press by Soorma rewarded them with multiple goalscoring opportunities and a penalty corner as the quarter came to a close but they were unable to find the back of the net again.

The Tigers struggled to play out of their defence as the second quarter began as well. Within minutes, Englebert received the ball on top of the circle and picked out the bottom right corner with a reverse shot and made it 3-0 for Soorma. The Tigers began foraying into Soorma territory as the quarter unfolded with Rosin Upton rushing into the circle and forcing Savita to make a save on one such occasion but Soorma had the majority of the possession and goalscoring chances with Maria Verschoor bossing the midfield with her interceptions and quick transitions.

The third quarter began with the Tigers showing a lot more confidence on the ball, earning a penalty corner within a few minutes but they failed to muster a shot on goal. The Tigers aimed to attack down the left wing in search of a way back into the game and soon after, Kathryn Mullan had the chance to score but her shot sailed wide. The Tigers showed more initiative as the quarter came to a close with Binima Dhan and Vandana Katariya unleashing a snapshot each on the Soorma goal but Natalia Salvador made two spectacular saves to maintain the clean sheet.

Sonam earned a penalty corner for Soorma early in the last quarter which resulted in a penalty stroke and Englebert completed her hattrick from the spot with a low flick to the left corner. However, the Tigers responded by embarking on a counter-attack through Lalremsiami on the right wing and her cross deflected to Vandana Katariya, who stretched to push the ball into Soorma's goal. It became an end-to-end game with the Tigers frantically attempting to score a second after the goal and earned their first penalty corner with two minutes left in the game. Shilpi Dabas stepped up to slap the ball to the right bottom corner and reduce the deficit. However, Soorma managed to halt the Tigers' advances and secured their ticket to the Final. (ANI)