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Gantoise duo Antoine Kina and Alexander Hendrickx both took glory from the Hockey India League as part of the Vedanta Kalinga Lancers as they beat the Ranchi Royals 3-2 in last weekend’s final.
For Ranchi, they featured Crefelder HTC’s Lachlan Sharp and Tim Howard in their panel, both of whom will look forward to Easter’s EHL FINALS along with the Gantoise pair.
Hendrickx’s double in the first half was a key factor, powering his side into the lead in the fourth minute while his second made it 3-1 at half-time.
Despite a Tom Boon goal for Ranchi, Kalinga stayed clear to win the title with captain Arthur Van Doren hailing their team spirit over the month-long competition.
“Four weeks to build a bond and shape a team is a very short time, and it is extremely challenging,” he said.
“That’s why we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved. I believe we have done it very well—we have created a good, solid unit, and in the end, that was reflected on the pitch.”
Addressing the tactical approach against a familiar opponent in the Ranchi Royals – whom they faced for the third time in the tournament – Van Doren emphasised the importance of maintaining an offensive mindset.
“They are a fantastic team to play against, with a very attacking style that also makes for great entertainment for the spectators. We are extremely proud of how we performed against one of the best teams in the competition, and that is what matters most to us.”
Even while protecting a narrow one-goal lead in the dying minute of the match, the Lancers’ strategy was to continue attacking rather than falling into a purely defensive shell.
“It is always important to keep playing our natural game. The danger in sitting back and only defending is that it allows the opposition to attack continuously. We made sure we stayed positive, kept attacking, and even though they created a few chances, we stood strong together as a unit,” he added.
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