6th August 2009
EUROHOCKEY NATIONS TROPHY (Men)
DAY 6: Thursday 6 August 2009
Scotland hit 5 against Italy
Scotland assured their place in the 2011 EuroHockey Nation's Trophy with their 5-3 win over Italy, bouncing back from their controversial draw on Tuesday night against the Czech Republic. In a whirlwind start, Mark Ralph netted a 5' penalty corner and Kenny Bain extended the lead by the 11', deflecting in Niall Stott's shot from two yards out.
Italy, despite their defensive woes, however, have shown quite an eye for goal and got back into the game from their first attack of the game when Daniele Malta robbed Graham Dunlop on the penalty spot and banged in a close-range reverse.
Ralph reasserted the two goal lead before the break from a corner but William Cottam pounced on a bouncing in the 43' for 2-3. Stephen Dick and Massimo Lanzano - his sixth of the tournament - exchanged goals to nudge the scoreboard up to 3-4 with five minutes remaining but Bain's stylish reverse-stick effort killed the game with two minutes left. It leaves Scotland on the precipice of taking the fifth World Cup Qualifying place.
ITL 0-1 SCO 6' Ralph PC
ITL 0-2 SCO 11' Bain FG
ITL 1-2 SCO 18' Malta FG
ITL 1-3 SCO 30' Ralph PC
ITL 2-3 SCO 42' Cottam FG
ITL 2-4 SCO 59' Dick PC
ITL 3-4 SCO 68' Lanzano FG
ITL 3-5 SCO 69' Bain FG
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 10.00 | C | Italy (4A) | 3 | Scotland (3B) | 5 | |
Belarus confine Swiss to relegation
Belarus picked up their first win of the tournament to keep alive their chances of taking the last available World Cup qualifier place, beating Switzerland 1-0. The loss confines the Swiss to the third tier of European hockey in 2011. Ivan Kisliavich scored the only goal of the game in the 40' with a well-placed drag-flick - taking a hefty blow in the process from the first runner.
In a free-flowing first half, both sides had chances as the Swiss dominated territory but looked vulnerable on the counter-attack. Jurka Rickli smashed a volley into Siarhei Lihor from point-blank range while Kisliavich's auto-pass and solo snuck just wide of the post. But he was not to be denied soon after the turnaround and his defence held on for the remaining half hour to set up an intriguing final day. A win for Belarus over Scotland equals a WCQ place; a loss means Italy can force them into a relegation place on goal difference.
BLR 1-0 SUI 40' Kisialevich PC
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 12.30 | C | Belarus (3A) | 1 | Switzerland (4B) | 0 | |
Wales fall at semi-finals
Wales were denied a final place of the EuroHockey Nation’s trophy by the narrowest of margins as Ireland's penalty corner machine clicked while the home nation's set-piece failed to function in Wrexham yesterday. Wales enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges with Andy Cornick making the first circle penetration but the towering David Harte smothered well.
Three penalty corner efforts went a begging, the first saved high by Harte from Rick Gay with Johnny Jackson causing havoc in the defence with his missed clearance. The third corner, meanwhile, was en route to goal but Cornick was unable to get out of its line of fire. And, with Huw Jones in the sin-bin, Ireland pounced from their only corner in the 21'. Ireland’s all-time top scorer Stephen Butler nailed the set-piece into the bottom left corner.
Thereafter, the fixture was physical and cagey with neither side able to create clear-cut chances. Nick Rees' surge into the circle squeezed just by Ireland's post while Ben Croxall's late deflection was unable to get by Harte late in the second half from two half-chances. But the main opportunity came with just over a minute left. With Ireland down to ten-men following Ronan Gormley's suspension, Rick Gay was given one last corner chance. He got his angles all wrong, though, as he cleared the bar and Wales hopes of forcing extra-time slipped from their grasp. Wales will play for bronze medal on Saturday 8th August at 14:30.
IRE 1-0 WAL 21' Butler PC
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 15.00 | SF1 | Ireland (2A) | 1 | Wales (1B) | 0 | |
Russia romp to final
A first half triple set Russia on their way to the final, disposing of the Czech Republic 4-1 in the final reckoning.
Alexander Zhirkov set the ball rolling in the 12' from a penalty corner before tournament top-scorer Alexey Sergeev got the first of his brace from his side's fourth penalty corner - won brilliantly by Alexandre Platonov.
Alexander Korolev made it 3-0 before the break with an absolute beauty from play, finishing off a zippy right-wing move.
The Czechs fought back gamely after the break, winning four corners but only had Tomas Prochazka's drag-flick for their efforts.
And their fightback was ended when Prochazka conceded a penalty stroke in the 58' as the goal beckoned for Alexey Mamoshkin. Sergeev rolled in the flick - his seventh goal of the tournament - to rubber-stamp the result before late Czech shenanigans saw Ondrej Vudmaska and Martin Lehovec sit-out the closing stages.
RUS 1-0 CZE 12' Zhirkov PC
RUS 2-0 CZE 27' Sergeev PC
RUS 3-0 CZE 29' Korolev FG
RUS 3-1 CZE 45' Prochazka PC
RUS 4-1 CZE 58' Sergeev PS
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 17.30 | SF2 | Russia (1A) | 4 | Czech Republic (2B) | 1 | |
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Note: Match schedule subject to amendment at the discretion of EHF or the Tournament Director.
