HIL 2025-26: Ranchi Royals goes down against Hyderabad Toofans after squandering two-goal lead

Ranchi Royals squandered a lead for a second straight game and went down 2-3 against Hyderabad Toofans in the Hockey India League at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday.

The Royals put up an obstinate refusal in their circle, sweeping balls away upon the smallest of errors from Toofans forwards Arshdeep Singh, Shilanand Lakra and Talwinder Singh. But it ran out of fuel in the second half, allowing Toofans to score three goals in the space of 15 minutes and snatch the three points.

Tom Boon’s brilliance on and off the ball had the Royals leading 2-0 for a majority of the game until things slipped away.

Boon got on the scoresheet in the 11th minute. He was the first to a loose ball inside the circle, and drew a foul from Nic Woods. His first attempt from the top of the circle was obstructed by first-rusher Mukul Sharma’s foot, but he blasted into the left corner from the resulting penalty corner.

The Belgian could have had an assist to show for, too, had Ravneet Singh made a faintest of pokes at his cross from the left wing.

Toofans used a similar ploy of blasting a pass in from the wing in the 13th minute. Devinder Walmiki squared a zooming ball into a crowded Royals circle, only for Jacob Anderson to top-edge it. Moments later, Royals’ Araijeet Singh Hundal came close to doubling his team’s advantage but saw his tomahawk from a narrow angle on the left denied by Bikramjit Singh.

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Two minutes into the second quarter, Boon left the Toofans’ defence red-faced as he pounced on an error. Arthur De Sloover deflected the ball goalwards while attempting to intercept a cross. Bikramjit made the initial save but was slower to the second ball than Boon, who leaped over his head for a vertical-sticked hit into the goal.

Toofans had as many as 16 forays into the Royals’ circle but ran themselves into a stacked defensive unit that allowed very little space to stitch together decisive passes in front of goal.

Boon’s single-handed flair was evident in the second half, too. In the 32nd minute, he was crammed into the left corner in the Toofans circle but forced a penalty corner with his dribbling. However, his shot at a hat-trick was denied by Bikramjit’s save from his midriff.

But the game was forced open shortly after as tired Royals defenders committed sloppy errors to concede penalty corners. Amandeep Lakra got Toofans on the board in the 42nd minute before Woods converted another set piece in the final minute of the third period.

Three minutes from the final hooter, Royals defender Maxim van Oost gave away the ball to Zachary Wallace just outside his circle. Wallace unselfishly paved a pass for Talwinder to score and get the Toofans their first win of the season.

Published on Jan 07, 2026