After 20 games, 129 goals it is Germany who is once again crowned as the 2016 EuroHockey Indoor Champions here in Prague.
| 10:00 | NED – SUI | Pool C | 2 – 3 (1 – 2) |
In this important match we saw two teams desperate to stay in this Division. The Dutch, after a tough day yesterday did not play their best game and found themselves 3:1 down ten minutes before the end. They somehow managed to pull themselves together and added one more goal to 3:2 but the scoreboard read only 30 seconds to go. The Dutch in desperate need to equal the game made a mistake in defence and gave the Swiss a short corner which was the last thing that happened on the pitch. The current World Champions will now be relegated to Championships II. Switzerland, just promoted to this Division will now stay in the Championships.
| 11:10 | POL – SWE | Pool C | 11 – 2 (6 – 0) |
Unfortunately for Sweden they had played well all Tournament but had run out of steam in the end and capitulated to a strong Polish team with MAKOWSKI on form scoring 5! Poland top Pool C and finish on 7 points, hence taking the 5th place slot and a place in the next World Indoor Cup.
| 13:00 | RUS – CZE | 3rd/4th | 4 – 3 (2 – 1) |
As the hosts faced their nemesis in the Russian team, the did so with a 7th man as the packed stadium chanted and willed their team on to take a European medal. Throughout the bronze medal match, the Czech Republic and Russia held equal possession of the ball. With just seconds into the first half to spare Russia managed to score, ahead on the scoreboard and leaving the half time score as 2:1. However, the Czech team managed to equalise with a penalty corner early in the second half. They then took out the lead with a quick pass down the pitch. Despite the efforts of the Czech team and support from the crowd, the Russian team managed to come out on top. The final score for the bronze medal match was a close 4:3, putting the Russians in a well earned third place.
The Final:
| 14:30 | AUT – GER | Final | 2 – 3 (1 – 1) |
Germany claimed their third EuroHockey Indoor Nations Championship title – and 10th in the last 12 editions – as they produced a powerful second half performance to deny Austria in the final in Prague. The first half was well poised at 1-1 as Fabian Woesch and Michael Körper exchanged goals. But German star man Timm Herzbruch whipped home a brilliant corner before Linus Butt – from a different angle – did likewise from the right of the circle for a 3-1 lead by the 24th minute which they never relinquished.
Final Ranking:
1. Germany
2. Austria
3. Russia
4. Czech Republic
5. Poland
6. Switzerland
7. The Netherlands
8. Sweden
MVP – Timm HERZBRUCH (GER)
Top Scorer – Timm HERZBRUCH (GER)
Top Goalkeeper – Andreas SPÄCK Andreas (GER)
Photograph: Captain Linus BUTT is presented by EuroHockey Trophy by Marijke Fleuren (President EHF) and overseen by the FIH President Leandro Negre