Rourkela, January 27 — Vedanta Kalinga Lancers will look to sign off their Hero Hockey India League campaign with a win when they take on JSW Soorma HC in their final pool A match at the Birsa Munda Stadium here on Monday, January 27.
The loss to Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers in a fast-paced, high-scoring thriller on Friday ended their hopes of qualifying for the semifinals, with the team currently on 12 points from nine matches in the eight-team competition.
“We are all very disappointed because we know from the opportunities we created and the goals we scored throughout the league, we could have been much more successful with a stronger defensive display,” coach Valentin Altenburg said.
“Matches are decided inside the circles. While we have been strong in the opposition D, we have not been as strong in our own D,” Altenburg added.
Kalinga Lancers lead the team goals tally with 36 goals, are third on the penalty corners list with 51, and second on penalty corner conversions at 21.6 percent.
Star forward Thierry Brinkman is currently the top scorer with nine goals, while Alexander Hendrickx is joint third with seven goals, all of them penalty corner conversions.
“We want to be competitive and finish the league strongly with a win. Our last meeting was a close match and we are determined not to lose twice to them,” Altenburg stated, referring to the match against Soorma.
About Kalinga Lancers:
Kalinga Lancers is a premier hockey franchise in the Hockey India League, proudly representing the state of Odisha. Owned by Vedanta Limited, the team embodies the company’s commitment to promoting sports and nurturing young talent.
As Vedanta’s first venture into sports team ownership, Kalinga Lancers represents a significant milestone in its journey to contribute meaningfully to India’s sports ecosystem. Vedanta’s passion for sports is evident through its investments across sporting disciplines such as football, cricket, marathons, pickleball, and archery, contributing towards fostering a culture of excellence and opportunity in sports.
