Friday 10th February 2017: The second session of the Cup got underway here in Vienna and with semi-final slots in the offering, all teams came out ready to play some sublime indoor hockey.
WKS Grunwald Poznan 3 – 5 (2 – 3) Dinamo Stroitel Ekaterinburg
The first game of the afternoon session didn’t disappoint as Dinamo showed their class and high levels of fitness to drive the game home with a hard fought win over a determined Grunwald. Late goals in the second half from Borisov and Nadyrshin sealed an important win to put the Russians on top of Pool A, at least until the outcome of the next game.
East Grinstead 2 – 10 Uhlenhorst Mulheim
An impressive start as Mulheim went 4-0 ahead in the opening 10 minutes of the game as EG struggled with the up tempo game. individual skill and flair by Timm Herzbruch as he twisted and turned his maker making impossible space to score a hat trick in the first half. The was score of 0-8 at the half. In the 22nd minute Ross Stott got past the German defence and got on the board for EG. The reply came thick and fast from Herzbruch with his 4th of the game. Some ill discipline from the German’s saw them down to 5 twice in the second half and concede 4 PCs of which EG got one on target, a direct flick into the top right corner from Adam Seccull. The game finished 10-2. Speaking to Mulheim’s coach Kai de JAGER after the game, he was very happy with the “perfect first half”. He was not surprised at the performance knowing that his team can play like that. Asking him about Timm Herzbruch he agreed on what an immense talent he is, a special one! The biggest challenge for the club and Germany is to manage him and his time, but yes he agreed ‘what a talent’.
C.H. SPV Complutense 4-5 (2-2) AH&BC Amsterdam
A game of corners, as all 4 of the goals in the first half came from PCs. Nevado flicked on target for Complutense in the 6th minute, the reply came from Amsterdam’s captain Tigges in the 10th minute. Complutense went ahead again courtesy of a direct strike from Rickli, but countered by Amsterdam in a well worked pc, slipped back to Tigges and a low drag beat the Spanish keeper. The score was 2-2 at the half.
Tigges scored his 3rd in the 25th minute, again a PC and direct strike that the defender just got a touch to, but was unable to keep the powerful strike out. 2-3 in favour of Amsterdam. Complutense replied, again via a PC. Into the last 6 minutes the game was 3-3 and didn’t look like either team would break the deadlock. We saw our first field goals of the game as Amsterdam pressed high and were rewarded with 2 goals, 3-5 but the reply came from a break as Iñigo CORRAL ran through the Dutch defence, 4-5. Complutense pressed hard for the equaliser finding a Dutch foot but the PC went wide. Final score 4-5 to the Dutchmen.
Partille SC 1-2 (0-1) SV Arminen
An incredibly tight, hard fought game to end the day here in Vienna. Neither team was prepared to concede anything. It took until the 13th minute for Arminen striker Florian STEYRER to break through the Partille defence. They doubled their score just before half time 0-2 at the half. Partille did find the net as Simon Melander flicked home from a PC in the 38th minute. Partille went for a power play which failed to get them the equaliser.
Pool Standings after Day 1:
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