Vedanta Kalinga Lancers continued their dominant run in the Men’s Hero Hockey India League 2025–26, securing qualification for the playoffs with a commanding 6–1 victory over SG Pipers at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium on Saturday.
The emphatic win extended the Lancers’ unbeaten streak to five matches and consolidated their position at the top of the standings with 14 points from five games. In a performance that once again highlighted their balance across all departments, the Lancers were led by Cooper Burns and Alexander Hendrickx, who scored twice each. Burns found the net in the 8th and 23rd minutes, while Hendrickx struck in the 39th and 56th. Craig Marais added to the tally in the 10th minute, and Angad Singh rounded off the scoring with a goal in the 54th minute as the hosts overwhelmed their opponents with pace, precision, and sustained pressure.
While the scoreline reflected dominance, both Burns and Hendrickx were quick to underline that consistency, rather than results alone, has been the guiding principle behind the team’s success so far. Reflecting on the victory and the playoff qualification, Hendrickx stressed the importance of staying grounded despite the strong start to the season.
“It was a strong team performance and another important step for us,” he said. “The morale in the group is really good, but we are keeping our feet on the ground. We know how quickly things can change in this league, so the focus is on continuing to improve and looking at the bigger picture.”
Hendrickx has been one of the standout performers of the season, with seven goals in five matches, many of them coming from penalty corners. However, the Belgian drag-flick specialist was keen to emphasise that those goals are the result of collective effort rather than individual brilliance.
“Penalty corners are a crucial part of modern hockey and they often decide games,” he explained. “But it is never just about the drag flick. The team works hard to earn those fouls inside the circle. After that, everything has to come together — the injection, the stop, the execution, and the follow-up play. When all those elements click, it gives us a good chance to score.”
Cooper Burns, who enjoyed a productive evening in front of goal, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the importance of teamwork and unselfish play in the attacking circle. For Burns, the goals were a by-product of the system rather than the primary objective.
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“It is always nice to score, but our main focus was on creating better field goal opportunities and doing the small, unselfish things well,” he said. “Both my goals came from really good team moves. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and a lot of credit goes to the players around me for creating those chances.”
Burns also spoke about the atmosphere at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, where the home crowd once again played its part in energising the team. Far from feeling pressure, the players appeared to thrive on the support from the stands.
“There was no pressure playing at home,” Burns said. “If anything, it was a boost. The crowd was brilliant and really got behind us. We just wanted to play good hockey and put on a show for them. We know we are in a good position, but we don’t take any wins lightly. Every team in this league is strong.”
One of the defining features of the Lancers’ campaign so far has been their defensive solidity, which has provided a platform for their attacking players to express themselves. Hendrickx credited the team’s collective energy and communication for the composure shown at the back.
“The key is the effort we put in as a group,” he said. “The forwards work hard to track back, players are putting their bodies on the line, and communication is constant so we can manage threats together. We are improving game by game, especially defensively, and having someone like Krishan Pathak behind us gives the whole team a lot of confidence.”
Despite having already secured a playoff berth, the Lancers are determined not to ease off during the remainder of the league phase. Burns made it clear that standards will remain high as the team looks to finish as strongly as possible.
“For us, every game is a must-win,” he said. “We want to finish as high as we can on the table going into the playoffs. We are in a good position now, but there is still a lot of work to be done.”
Vedanta Kalinga Lancers will next take on Accord Tamil Nadu Dragons in their upcoming Men’s Hero Hockey India League fixture, as they look to maintain momentum and carry their consistency into the business end of the season.
