Nilam sanjeep xess

Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium: SV Sunil, Victor Charlet, and Nilam Sanjeep Xess scored a goal each as Team Gonasika secured their first win of Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 beating Hyderabad Toofans 3-1 at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium here on Saturday. Sunil opened the scoring in the second minute for Team Gonasika and Charlet and Xess were successful in the 33rd and 60th minutes while Tim Brand (12`) scored the lone goal for Hyderabad Toofans.

Sunil and Mandeep Singh had been a lethal attacking pair in the 2010s with the duo combining to score many important goals for India. They did it once again to give Gonasika the lead in the second minute. Lee Morton played the ball to Mandeep with the India forward losing his defender and creating some space for himself. Mandeep displayed incredible agility and vision to play a superb pass to Sunil who tapped it into the empty goal.

The Toofans levelled against the run of play in the 12th minute. Zachary Wallace played a pass toward the post Shilanand Lakra helping the ball along the way. Both Rajinder Singh and Tim Brand were at hand to try and squeeze it past Oliver Payne. It was Brand who got the telling touch. Sunil nearly gave Gonasika their lead again in the final minute as he sneaked towards the far post. Goalkeeper Dominic Dixon did enough to close down the angle as Sunil ran out of room to shoot.