8th August 2009
EUROHOCKEY NATIONS TROPHY (Men)
DAY 8: Saturday 8 August 2009
Italy condemn Switzerland to 8th
Italy kept their survival hopes alive as they beat already relegated Switzerland 2-1, condemning their Alpine neighbours to eighth place in the competition. Despite dominating for long periods, the Italians made hard work of victory, scoring just one of their nine penalty corners. They started in determined fashion, Agustin Nunez stinging Patrick Egloff's glove twice with powerful reverse-stick efforts.
Andrin Rickli's volleyed snap-shot in the 12' was the sole Swiss to the near constant barrage and Italy eventually took the lead in the 27' when skipper Jacopo Lunetta batted in a corner rebound.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Nunez saw two more effort saved while Michele Cirina's thunderbolt was also dealt with Egloff. Massimo Lanzano, though, made the game safe with nine minutes remaining, swivelling well on a bouncing ball to crash home. Fabian Wullschleger pulled one back with seven seconds to go but scant consolation for the Swiss. Italy, meanwhile, must now hope Scotland beat Italy by two goals or more.
ITA 1-0 SUI 28' Lunetta PC
ITA 2-0 SUI 62' Lanzano FG
ITA 2-1 SUI 70' Wullschleger
FG
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 09.30 | C | Italy (4A) | 2 | Switzerland (4B) | 1 | |
Scotland finish 5th and clinch final World Cup Qualifying tournament spot
In the end, Scotland and Belarus got the mutually beneficially result that saw the former take the fifth World Cup qualifying place and the latter keep their place in the second tier of European competition on goal difference.
The Belarussians enjoyed slightly the better opening 25' but saw two corners deflected wide by the Scottish defence and found all their good work undone when Iain Scholefield burst down the right wing.
His original cross was cut out by Yauhen Cherapanau but the defender dallied and Scholefield nipped in to swipe the ball to the net for a 28' lead.
Mark Ralph rebounded a penalty corner for 2-0 five minutes later and Belarus were on the verge of relegation.
And the Scots started the second half in rude form winning a pair of corners, one of which saw a goal chalked off and another hitting a post. But they were stung on the break in the 47'. Ihar Zyshchyk's superb run was halted by Ali McGregor but Vitali Zyshchyk followed up to crash into the netting from close-range. Thereafter, only Graham Dunlop's excellent cover tackle on Vitali Zyshchyk registered as a highlight as neither side was able to upset the status quo. Italy, as a result, join Switzerland in relegation to the third tier of European competition.
BLR 0-1 SCO 28' Scholefield FG
BLR 0-2 SCO 33' Ralph PC
BLR 1-2 SCO 47' Zyshchyk FG
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 12.00 | C | Belarus (3A) | 1 | Scotland (3B) | 2 | |
Wales clinch Bronze medal place
Wales produced their best hockey of the tournament to emulate the feat of their female counterparts to upset the pre-tournament rankings to claim bronze at the EuroHockey Nation's Trophy. The home nation produced their most complete 70 minutes against the Czech Republic, winning 5-2 to equal their best performance in the competition since the tiered version of the competition was introduced.
After making much of the early running, Wales took the lead in the 21' when Ben Croxall sublimely deflected home at the near post from Andy Cornick's right-wing cross. And they had little time to wait for a second. It came in similar fashion; this time Rufus McNaught-Barrington cracked in the cross and Ben Edge redirected from five yards out. But a near faultless half was ruined three minutes before the interval when no one reacted to George Harris' save and David Vaeck swooped to chip into the net.
The two-goal advantage was restored in the 49' when Andy Cornick drew a penalty corner and Rick Gay dragged home low and left. Joe Naughalty was sin-binned soon after for a rash tackle but his presence was scarcely missed as Gay was hacked down on the flick spot, giving Rhys Joyce his third penalty stroke opportunity. He duly obliged in his favourite spot - the left side of the backboard - for 4-1. And Gay got his second of the day - and his side's third in eight minutes - in the 57' with yet another drag-flick. The Czechs pulled one back with an incredibly conceived corner of their own as Tomas Prochazka swivelled both clockwise then counter-clockwise to lay up Jakub Kyndl. He looped over Harris to make it 5-2. Wales, though, held out three further corners to make sure the medal was in the bag.
WAL 1-0 CZE 21' Croxall FG
WAL 2-0 CZE 23' Edge FG
WAL 2-1 CZE 32' Vacek FG
WAL 3-1 CZE 49' Gay PC
WAL 4-1 CZE 55' Joyce PS
WAL 5-1 CZE 57' Gay PC
WAL 5-2 CZE 59' Kyndl PC
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 14.30 | 3/4 | Wales | 5 | Czech Republic | 2 | |
Ireland pip Russia for title
John Jermyn’s double completed a dream comeback in the EuroHockey Nation’s Trophy final overturning their 2-1 reverse last Thursday against Russia. Russia had taken the lead early on when Alexandre Platonov fired in a superb reverse-stick effort past David Harte from close to the byline but from then on Ireland produced their best hockey of the tournament. Mitch Darling skimmed a post and Geoff McCabe hit the side-netting in a flurry of attacks while four penalty corner chances went unrewarded. The fifth, however, saw Jermyn return to scoring form with a bullet to the bottom right corner two minutes before the break. David Hobbs went close but had an effort chalked off in the 44' for dangerous play.
Alexander Cherenekov was sin-binned in the aftermath of that incident and Ireland took full advantage. Using the extra space, Russia were carved open when Eugene Magee rolled under his arm to skipper Ronan Gormley. His pin-point cross found Jermyn unmarked to pull the ball out of his legs and duly slammed home from the circle's edge for the go-ahead goal. Jermyn smacked the post moments later - what would have been his 50th international goal had it gone in – but it was not to matter. Ireland held on in a nervy closing ten minutes, both side reduced to ten men to claim the title.
IRE 0-1 RUS 7' Plantonov FG
IRE 1-1 RUS 33' Jermyn PC
IRE 2-1 RUS 55' Jermyn FG
Reporter: Stephen Findlater
For photos of this match visit www.fidopics.co.uk and click 'Euro Hockey Nations'
| 17.00 | Final | Ireland | 2 | Russia | 1 | |
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Note: Match schedule subject to amendment at the discretion of EHF or the Tournament Director.
