14th January 2017: A full day of games in Puconci with 7 games, 47 goals and Slovakia the only team with full points on the board! With only one pool and teams facing a round- robin it’s always a challenge to maintain the intensity necessary to win this event and the prize for the winners and the runners-up will be promotion to the Championship division.
Match 1: Wales v Norway
Wales set out with a strong and patient passing game and they quickly had a 2 goal lead thanks to William Riley and Hywel Jones, his first of 4 goals in the game. Norway had chances in both halves, with captain Talha Asif leading by example with 2 second half goals. The Wales tactics and phisicality were too much for Norway with the score of 7-2 paying testament to the quality of the Wales team.
Match 2: Italy v Turkey
This match was eagerly anticipated and did not disappoint it. A passionate display from players on the pitch and from coaches on the bench. A frantic end to end first half meant it was 1-1 at half time with goals from Simone Pagliara and Ali Ozkilic. The second half was very different. Turkey played harder and passed the ball faster than Italy. 2 more goals from captain Ozkilic and 1 from Yasin Sekmen for Turkey proved the difference with the final result 4-2 to Turkey.
Match 3: Ukraine v Slovenia
2 early goals from ukraine really affected the young slovenian team. 5 goals from Bogdan Kovalenko, a stand out perfomance, highlited the Ukrainian dominance in the match. The noisy local crowd got the Slovenians to within 2 at the half time but the strength and intensity of Ukraine in the second half was too much for them.
Match 4: Slovakia v Norway
A one-sided match that included a hat-trick from Matej Krampl for Slovakia. Although only 1 goal difference at half time, Slovakia turned on the style and took their chances in the second half, quickly running the game away from the Norwegians.
Match 5: Italy v Wales
A game very much in contrast to earlier performances. Wales set themselves out defensively, hoping to exploit gaps in the Italian formation, but there were not any. Italy, doing much the same thing as Wales, found a breach in the welsh lines in each half. Goals from Marco Garbaccio and Luca Valentino being the difference in very patient, tactical game between 2 evenly matched teams.
Match 6: Ukraine v Turkey
Turkey led at half time with a field goal from Celal Aydin in what was very patient performance from Turkey. Ukraine equalised in the 29th minute from Dmitrii Mazur. The final 10 minutes was a tactical battle with few opportunities. 1-1 a fair result.
Match 7: Slovakia v Slovenia
Slovakia was strong offensively right from the start and deserved their 5-0 half time lead. Slovenia had few ideas but tried very hard to run through the Slovakian defense, which was to their undoing as Slovakia scored frequently on the counter attack in the second half. Slovenia did get a consolation goal from Mitja Dšuban towards the end of the game. Slovakia had 2 hat-trick heroes with Matej Krampl and Joyef Michalovic scoring 3 goals each.
Wales v Norway (7:2)
Italy v Turkey (2:4)
Ukraine v Slovenia (8:2)
Slovakia v Norway (8:0)
Italy v Wales (2:0)
Ukraine v Turkey (1:1)
Slovakia v Slovenia (9:1)
Pool Ranking after Day 1:
Results will be posted here:
https://testceelect.co.uk/competitions/eurohockey-junior-indoor-championships-ii-men/
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