Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons kicked off their Men’s Hero Hockey India League (HIL) campaign in dramatic fashion, edging past Hyderabad Toofans 4–2 in a penalty shootout after an action-packed 3–3 draw in regulation time at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Egmore. Goalkeeper Prince Deep Singh emerged as the hero, saving two penalties to help the Dragons secure a valuable bonus point.
The Dragons made a flying start to the tournament, opening the scoring in the fourth minute when Uttam Singh (4’) converted the first penalty corner of the match with a close-range finish. Momentum stayed with the Chennai-based side as Thomas Sorsby (9’) doubled the lead after weaving into the circle and calmly slotting past the goalkeeper.
Hyderabad Toofans responded strongly, pulling one back through Amandeep Lakra (12’), who unleashed a powerful drag-flick from their first penalty corner to end the opening quarter at 2–1.
The Toofans carried that momentum into the second quarter, with Lakra once again making his mark. His second thunderous penalty-corner strike in the 18th minute brought the scores level. Both teams traded attacking phases thereafter, but neither could find the decisive touch, sending the contest into halftime locked at 2–2.
Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons regained the lead early in the third quarter through Karthi Selvam (32’), who finished off a slick team move set up by Uttam Singh. Hyderabad Toofans, however, showed their resilience as Arthur De Sloover (37’) struck from a tight angle to restore parity. Despite sustained pressure from the Dragons late in the quarter, last season’s runners-up held firm to keep the scoreline at 3–3.
The final quarter saw both sides pushing hard for a winner. Toofans enjoyed early dominance, but Dragons’ goalkeeper David Harte stood tall, making crucial saves from penalty corners to keep his team in contention. With neither side able to break the deadlock, the match was decided via a penalty shootout.
In the shootout, Prince Deep Singh’s two vital saves proved decisive, while Raheel Mohammed converted the winning attempt to seal a 4–2 shootout victory for Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons, ensuring a confident and morale-boosting start to their HIL campaign.
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