On the first day of the EuroHockey Indoor Junior Championship II in Zelina, Croatia we have two opening matches. Wales against Slovakia and host Croatia against Sweden.
Game 1: Wales – Slovakia 1 – 2
Equal match from the start. Both teams had few penalty corners but defences done a great job defending goals. And first half ended with zero on both sides.
But in second period Slovakia was the better side and finally succeed to put one inside Wales goalkeeper. Surinova was the scorer.
6 minutes after another strike from team Slovakia. Dobiasova from penalty corner gave Slovak side two goals lead.
Wales team tried to diminish Slovakia lead but their efforts were not good enough. They even had a great opportunity from a penalty corner but Slovak defence clear ball away from their keeper.
Wales team succeed to get a consolation goal (Drysdale) with a buzzer from the penalty corner.
Game 2: Croatia – Sweden 4 – 5
What a match between Croatia and Sweden. Dynamic and fast paced.
Croatia tried to press Sweden but did a lot of technical mistakes and Sweden managed to score the first goal by Zulfiyeva G.. Croatian Litić put an equalizer in the 11th minute from a penalty corner.
Three “black minutes” for Croatia used Sweden side and scored three goals in a row ( Zulfiyeva G. 2, Fronda 1).
Croatia returned to the match with a goal from Subošić helped by the noisy crowd of 150 people all cheering for Croatia
The crowd could watch a great first period with six goals.
Two minutes in the second period and Litvić put her second goal. But Sweden didn´t lose their pace and Justus Paula returned the result on two difference for Sweden.
But Croatia did not give up. Litvić gets her´s third goal of the match four minutes before the end of the match.
Croatia took out a keeper to seek an equalizer but Sweden did a great job defending their D. Final result 4 – 5 and Sweden won 3 points in their opening match.
Tomorrow, there are four matches on schedule and all teams have their chances for the final.