HIL 2025-26: Ranchi Royals pips HIL GC in shootout to extend winning run

In an edge-of-the seat thriller, Ranchi Royals beat HIL Governing Council (GC) via penalty shootout at the Kalinga Stadium on Monday to bolster its chances of making it to the playoffs of the Hockey India League.

After a high-scoring 4-4 affair that swung from side to side, Royals held their nerve to win their first tie-breaker 4-1.

Following a goalless first quarter, the second period turned out to be an action-packed one in which both teams had two short corners.

Tom Boon’s penalty corner conversion in the 18th minute was disallowed for going wide, but Royals did not have to wait much. Mandeep Singh stole the ball from a defender to execute a shot and Araijeet Singh Hundal pounced on the rebound to hammer home with a reverse-stick shot.

GC equalised by converting its second short corner. Kane Russell’s shot ricocheted off custodian Suraj Karkera and an unchallenged Lalit Upadhyay completed the formalities by tapping it in.

With the Royals’ midfield working well, Jack Waller created a nice opportunity and the Mandeep-Hundal combine worked successfully again. Mandeep’s shot rebounded off goalkeeper James Mazarelo and Hundal found the target with a low hit.

GC bounced back again, with Russell beating Karkera on the left off a short corner, when Royals were down to 10 men.

Ranchi Royals has now won its last four games and sits second in the points table.
| Photo Credit:
Biswaranjan Rout

Sudip Chirmako utilised a fine cross from Jasjit Singh Kular from the left to score spectacularly and put GC in the lead. Royals’ Sam Lane slotted one to level the scores three apiece.

Amid end-to-end action, Upadhyay scored from a defensive lapse to regain the lead for GC. Royals survived despite conceding five penalty corners in the 56 ^th minute before equalising again through Boon’s strike to enforce the shootouts.

Vishnukant Singh, Lane, Maxime van Oost and Boon found the mark for Royals, while Ajeet Yadav was the lone scorer for GC in the tie-breaker.

Published on Jan 19, 2026