EuroHockey Clubs Challenge I
Clube de Futebol Uniao de Lamas and SK Slavia Prague were crowned winners of the EuroHockey Clubs Challenge I, putting themselves in prime spot for promotion. The final list of promotions and relegations will be released by EHF imminently. Top goal scorers in Geneva were Jonas Diesing of Slagelse Hockeyklub and David Vacek of SK Slavia Prague – both men scored five goals during this campaign.
Servette HC vs AD Lousada 3-1
The final day of competition got underway with a must-win game for both Servette HC and AD Lousada to secure their place in the division next year. In the end, it was the host team that took the points with a 3-1 win. Gaston Fabron scored twice, in the first and final quarter and his brace was added to by a cracker of a penalty corner from Oscar Luscher.
ASD SH Paolo Bonomi and TJ Plzen Litice 3-0
Another battle to maintain Division I status took place between ASD SH Paolo Bonomi and TJ Plzen Litice. It was the Italian side’s day as they dominated much of the play and slotted home their chances to take the match 3-0. The goal scorers were Gonzalo Ursine, Stefano Angus and Jonathan Donck.
Slagelse Hockeyklub and Clube de Futebol Uniao de Lamas 1-2
And so to the promotion games. In the third match of the day Slagelse Hockeyklub and Clube de Futebol Uniao de Lamas were locked in an intense competition that kept the supporters on the edge of their seats. At half time it was 1-1 after Andre Rocha had opened the scoring for Lamas and Steinmetz Mikkel Christensen had evened it up a few minutes later. The game went to and fro in the second half but a smart piece of play by the Lamas attack presented Flavio Pinto with the chance to put his team ahead and he took the opportunity with glee. The final 15 minutes were intense and exciting but Lamas held on to the lead and the chance of promotion.
HAHK Mladost to SK Slavia Prague 0-3
Despite the convincing 3-0 scoreline, this was also an intense game and HAHK Mladost will kick themselves for not taking their chances or defending with more discipline. SK Slavia Prague took the lead through goals from Jakub Griebl and David Vacek (2) to go into the half-time break 3-0 up. HAHK Mladost threw everything at the Czech side in the final half but could find no way through. They finished the match with ten players as tempers became frayed and Andrija Aleric was sent from the field with a yellow card.
Euro Hockey Club Challenge III
There were some desperately close games on this final day of action in Copenhagen but eventually Zuvedra Tauras and Gaziantep Polisgücü SK emerged as the top placed clubs at EuroHockey Club Challenge III. It was a double celebration for Gaziantep Polisgücü SK’s Mahmut Cengiz who was the tournament’s top scorer.
Kringsja Sports Klubb vs Copenhagen HC 2-2 (4-5 Shoot out)
The final day of Euro Hockey Challenge III kicked off with a northern European battle between hosts Copenhagen HC and Kringsja Sports Klubb from Norway. Neighbourly alliances were quickly forgotten in this hotly contested match, with the score at 2-2 at full-time. Copenhagen conceded a goal in the 60th minute, so they did well to pick themselves up for the ensuing shoot out. The shoot out itself was a nervy affair but to the delight of the supporters, the home side edged past Kringsja by five goals to four to register their second victory of the tournament.
Baltic Champs vs Sliema Hotsticks 2-1
The second match of the day was also a tight and tense encounter. Baltic Champs took an early lead through Zygimantas Balsiukas in the third minute. Silas Plaehn evened the match at the end of the first quarter but Balsiukas struck again just before half-time. The second half saw plenty of action as both team pushed for the win, but Baltic Champs held on to secure their position in the division.
Zuvedra Tauras vs Start Berdyscev Region 4-3
The focus now shifted to the play-offs for first place. The Lithuanian team Zuvedra Tauras showed their huge determination to maintain their 100 per cent unbeaten record in the tournament as they overturned a 3-0 deficit. This encounter was as close as hockey matches get, with both teams determined to sign off with a win. Start Berdyscev Region took an early 2-0 lead, and extended that to 3-0 in the 37th minute but four goals in ten minutes pulled Zuvedra right back into the game and past their opponents to take joint first place and the possibility of promotion.
Gaziantep Polisgücü SK vs Nacka LHK 5-1
Where the previous three games were desperately close, the Turkish side Gaziantep Polisgücü SK coasted home to a commanding 5-1 victory against Sweden’s Nacka LHK. The police cadets have been dominant all tournament and this match was no different as they continued to pile on the pressure right until the final whistle. Onur Acikgoz scored a hat trick and Mahmut Cengiz scored two goals, making him the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals in total.