'We need to reduce turnovers & trust our process' - Jay Stacy on Kalinga Lancers’ second straight victory in Men's HIL 2026

Vedanta Kalinga Lancers will face HIL GC on January 11 in Ranchi.

The Vedanta Kalinga Lancers continued their strong start to Men’s Hockey India League 2025–26 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Shrachi Bengal Tigers at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium, Chennai, on Thursday.

Alexander Hendrickx (52’) and Boby Singh Dhami (57’) were on target for Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, while Affan Yousuf (56’) scored the lone goal for the Tigers. The win marked the Lancers’ second victory on the trot, lifting them to second place on the points table.

Reflecting on the contest, Head Coach Jay Stacy said, “It was a tough match with momentum swings. The first quarter was ours, the second belonged to the Tigers, which is how high-level hockey often goes. After that it was quite even, but we made a few turnovers by going for too much too soon.”

Highlighting areas of focus, he added, “We need to reduce those turnovers, maintain possession, stay brave, follow the game plan and trust our process to keep creating opportunities.”

Speaking on the development of young Indian players within the squad, Stacy said, “Playing alongside some of the world’s best is a great learning experience.

Also Read: Men’s Hockey India League 2026: Tamil Nadu Dragons beat SG Pipers in nine-goal thriller via shootout

Our young Kalinga Lancers players are learning both on and off the pitch through preparation, studying opponents and understanding the demands of this level.

Even when they haven’t had extended pitch time yet, they’re absorbing a lot, and we’ll continue to rotate the squad to remain competitive.”

The Lancers ended the Chennai leg with 2 wins a row and will next face HIL GC in their upcoming fixture on January 11 in Ranchi. 

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