EuroHockey Club Challenge I
It is all to play for as play reaches the crucial third round of pool games. At the end of the second day of action, Clube de Futebol Uniao de Lamas top Pool A, ahead of HAHK Mladost on goal difference. Slagelse are clear at the top of Pool B, with Servette and Slavia Prague on equal points behind them and in the chase for a top two pool finish.
Mladost vs Clube de Futebol Uniao de Lamas 2-2
The second day of the EuroHockey Challenge I in Geneva, Switzerland, started with HAHK Mladost (Croatia) against Clube de Futebol Uniao de Lamas (Portugal). The match sparked into life in the second half as three goals were scored in quick succession. Flavio Pinto gave Lamas the lead but a minute later Vitalii Kalinchuk evened things up. The Croatian team then took the lead when Jakov Damjanic scored from a penalty corner. Just 60 seconds from the end of the game the Portuguese were rewarded for their relentless pressure when they won a penalty corner. Andre Rocha sent his shot unerringly into the goal past Zoran Jakopovic to give his team a share of the points.
AD Lousada vs ASD SH Paolo Bonomi 2-0
Italian representatives ASD SH Paolo Bonomi put in a strong performance to take all the points in the Pool A match against AD Lousada. The Italians dominated the game from the beginning but would have been disappointed to only be 1-0 up at half-time. The second half saw Lousada battle hard for an equaliser but goalkeeper Francesco Padivani and his defence were playing a disciplined game. Joan Lloret scored the second and decisive goal for Paolo Bonomi.
TJ Plzen Litice vs SK Slavia Prague 2-0
It was an all-Czech Republic affair in the third game of the day. TJ Plzen Litice vs SK Slavia Prague. Both teams were searching for a first win and, on this occasion, it was Slavia Prague who took the points. The first half was goalless but Slavia Prague turned the pressure up in the second half and were rewarded when David Vacek and Ander Ortega both found the back of the net.
Slagelse Hockeyklub vs Servette HC Geneva 4-3
Slagelse Hockeyklub moved to the top of Pool B when they beat the host team Servette HC Geneva, in a tense and exciting game. The final score – 4-3 to the team from Denmark – was a reflection of the pace and quality of the game. Five goals were scored in the first quarter, with Slagelse leading 3-2 at the end of 15 minutes. The score at half-time was 3-3 after Jake Staines scored his second of the day. The winning goal was scored in the 51st minute by Jonas Diesing, who had also been the scorer of his team’s second goal of the day.
EuroHockey Club Challenge II
Final positions in the EuroHockey Club Challenge II will be decided tomorrow (20 May) after hockey spectators in Lipovci, Slovenia, enjoyed another day of high scoring matches.
Hockey Klub Zelina vs Bolu Belediyesi Spor Kulubu 6-1
Zelina continued their good form, which has seen them take maximum points in this competition so far. The goal scoring damage was carried out by just two players; Anze Fujs scored a well-struck penalty corner and was on hand to slam home two goals from open play as his side ran riot through the opponent’s defence. The other hat-trick hero was Aleksandr Lykov, whose haul included a penalty stroke and two well-worked field goals.
KPH Raca vs Grammarians HC 2-1
Grammarians let their 100 per cent record slip as they fell to defeat at the hands of a determined Raca. Two goals from Matej Hruska were enough to give the Slovakian team the win. This was a tense match and one that Raca captain Michal Romanec will want to forget as he received two yellow cards. It was while he was sent from the field that Grammarians scored their goal but Hruska’s second goal was enough to clinch the victory.
FHC Academic Plus Sofia vs HK Lipovci 2-0
This was a lesson in goal scoring from the host team. The Bulgarian side did not help itself as two players were given yellow cards in the final quarter but, by then, the damage had been done. Among the goal scoring highlights were hat tricks for Martin Mesaric and Petar Katovski. Captain Robert Mesaric also got onto the scoresheet twice.
EuroHockey Clubs Challenge III
It couldn’t be closer in Pool A at the EuroHockey Clubs Challenge II in Copenhagen, Denmark. All the teams have six points with only goal difference separating them. It really is all to play for in tomorrow’s final pool games.
Nacka LHK vs Kringsja Sports Klubb 4-2
Day 2 of the EuroHockey Challenge III got off to a flying start as Swedes Nacka LHK saw off their Norwegian neighbours, Kringsja Sports Klubb with a 4-2 victory in their pool B encounter. A hat-trick by Benjamin van Damme was the difference between the two sides. The result means Nacka need to beat tomorrow’s opponents Zuvedra if they are to win Pool B.
Zuvedra Tauras vs Sliema Hotsticks 3-0
The second match of the day saw Lithuanian side Zuvedra Tauras build on yesterday’s win, with a convincing 3-0 victory over Maltese Sliema Hotsticks. Marcus Neumann opened the scoring and the current Pool B leaders never looked like letting their lead slip.
Copenhagen HC vs Baltic Champs 1-3
In pool A, hosts Copenhagen HC slipped to a 3-1 loss against a resurgent Baltic Champs side. Zygimantas Balsiukas scored twice to ensure maximum points and to ensure his team remain in the mix for a top spot in the pool.
Start Berdyscev Region vs Gaziantep Polisgücü SK 5-4
The final match of the day saw Ukraine’s Start Berdyscev Region make up for their loss to Copenhagen HC yesterday with a hard-fought 5-4 win over Turkish side Gaziantep Polisgücü SK. The Ukrainians fought hard to win a game that could have gone either way, leaving pool A wide open ahead of the final group matches tomorrow. All sides in this group are tied on 6 points, separated only by goal difference.
In Pool B, Zuvedra Tauras have 10 points after their 2 wins, while Nacka LHK lie in second with 7 points. Both will have high hopes ahead of tomorrow’s games but all eyes are on Pool A, where there is everything left to play for.
EuroHockey Club Challenge IV (men)
The third day of the Men’s EuroHockey Club Challenge IV in Helsinki saw a couple of tight games, with excitement and elation for some teams and heartbreak for others.
HK Moravske Toplice vs HC Kilppari 3-2
In the first match of the day, Slovenian team HK Moravske Toplice came out on top over previously unbeaten team HC Kilppari of Finland by a score of 3-2. Toplice had let a 2-0 lead slip as Kilparri enjoyed a bright spell of play in the third quarter but hero of the day was captain of Toplice Dejan Kucan who held his nerve to score the winning goal from a penalty corner in the final seconds of the match.
Floriana Young Stars HC of Malta vs Építők HC 0-2
The second match of the day between Floriana Young Stars HC of Malta and Építők HC of Hungary ended in a 0-2 result for the Hungarian squad. The goals came from Laszlo Czirjak and Norbet Kovacs.
FHC Slavia 1921 of Bulgaria vs Mortensrud-Aker SK 2-3
The day’s third match was another close one, with FHC Slavia 1921 of Bulgaria beating Mortensrud-Aker SK of Norway by a 2-3 margin. The Bulgarian side will feel fortunate to have held onto the game as they allowed FHC Slavia back into the game after taking a 3-1 lead. It was a tense final few minutes as Dimitar Malakov received a yellow card and had to watch his team defend the lead for the last four minutes of play.
Soroksári – Olcote HC vs ABC-Team 7-1
The fourth and final match of the day saw Hungarian team Soroksári – Olcote HC continue with their impressive scoring and winning streak, beating tournament hosts ABC-Team of Finland 7-1. The Hungarian side dominated play as they scored in every quarter.
The results mean that HK Moravske Toplice top Pool A and will play Pool B runners-up ABC Team, while Pool B winners Soroksári – Olcote HC will play Kilparri.
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