Two exciting games that each ended in a draw were the highlights of the second competition day of the Men’s European Championships Qualifiers.
The big match of the day was a derby, played in Kranj (Group A). After a big battle, France and Germany shared the points (8:8).
The surprise of the day is a 7:7 draw in the match Ukraine – Turkey (Group D in Netanya). Moreover, Ukraine was close to a sensation, as it led 7:5. But, Turkey saved a point, scoring two goals in the last 29 seconds!
There were no surprises in other matches. Favorites recorded comfortable wins.
Three rounds have been played in the group with five teams (Kranj). The competitions in groups in Tbilisi, Netanya and Gzira started today.
2022 European Championships, Qualifications, Day 2
Group A (Kranj, Slovenia)
ROUND 2
France – Belgium 20:4 (6:2, 6:1, 4:1, 4:0)
France: Caumette 5, Canonne 4, Crousillat 3, Vernoux 2, Marion Vernoux 2, Izdinsky 2, Piot 1, Khasz 1.
Belgium:Matthys 1, Van Hoey 1, Van der Linden 1, Claes 1.
Switzerland – Germany 1:19 (1:3,0:5, 0:4, 0:7)
Switzerland: Melet 1.
Germany: Restovic 6, Schuetze 3, Van der Bosch 3, Juengling 2, Cuk 2, Bozic 1, Strelezkij 1, Gansen 1.
Slovenia bye
ROUND 3
France – Germany 9:9 (2:2, 2:0, 2:4, 3:3)
France: Crousillat 3, Khasz 2, Vernoux 2, Bouet 1, Canonne 1.
Germany: Cuk 3, Juengling 2, Schutze 1, Kueppers 1, Stamm 1, Gansen 1.
Slovenia – Switzerland 11:5 (2:0, 3:1, 5:1, 1:3)
Slovenia: Popovic 3, Kadivec 2, Pus 2, M.Nastran 1, Paunovic 1, Pusavec 1, Lah 1.
Switzerland: Alfano 2, Herzog 1, Szer 1, Pleyer 1.
Belgium bye
Four games were played in Kranj today.
In the morning session, France and Germany were warming up for the derby in the third round. An experienced Montenegrin Petar Porobic debuted as Germany’s head coach with a convincing win over Switzerland. The Swiss scored the first goal in the match (3rd minute). But their joy didn’t last for long. The Germans kept them goalless until the end. France beat Belgium.
As expected, the duel between France and Germany was an even contest. The French dictated the pace in the first half and led 4:2 at the middle break. But, the Germans opened the third quarter with three goals in less than three months and went in front for the first time (5:4). They had a 6:5 lead, but France’s ace Ugo Crousillat closed the period netted an action goal for 6:6.
Germany’s veteran Marko Stamm scored from a penalty shot in the 26th minute to give his team a 7:6 advantage. The French replied with two goals and regained a lead – 8:7 (30th minute). It was a prelude to a thrilling ending. Germany equalized 69 seconds before the end when Mateo Cuk converted a man-up. France earned a power-play advantage in their next possession. Centre–forward Enzo Khasz made it 9:8 with 38 seconds remaining. However, the Germans gained a man-up in their last attack. Their center Mateo Cuk took responsibility and scored from a 6 on 5 for 9:9. France couldn’t score in the remaining 16 seconds and the rivals shared the points.
Slovenia started slowly in the match against Switzerland. In the middle of the second quarter, the hosts had a slim 2:1 lead. After that, they blew Switzerland away with seven straight goals to earn a 9:1 lead. After that, Slovenia started saving energy for big challenges against Germany and France in the last two rounds.
1. France 3 – 7
2. Slovenia 2 – 6
3. Germany 2 – 4
4. Belgium 2- 0
5. Switzerland 3 – 0
February 19: Belgium – Switzerland (18:00), Slovenia – Germany (20:00)
Group B (Tbilisi, Georgia)
ROUND 1
Poland – Slovakia 6:25 (1:5, 3:6,2:7,0:7)
Poland: Szmonik 2, Rudzinski 2, Kowalewski 1, Pacyzna 1.
Slovakia: Balaz 6, Caraj 4, Durik 3, Kaid 2, Furman 2, Balogh 2, Zareva 2, Marek Tkac 2, Tisaj 1, Kovacik 1.
Georgia – Belarus 25:5 (7:1, 7:1, 5:1, 6:2)
Georgia: Shushiashvili 6, Vapenski 4, Jelaca 3, Saric 2, Bitadze 2, Magrakvelidze 2, Baraldi 2Vasic 2, Jakhaia 1.
Belarus: Malyshau 1, Radzko 1,Bulak 1, Akhrymuk 1, Fedarovich 1.
Favorites cruised to big wins in the first round of the tournament in Tbilisi.
Slovakia trashed Poland with seven goals by Samuel Balazs.
Two players who are members of the elite clubs – Nika Shushiashvili (Novi Beograd) and Boris Vapenski (Brescia) led Georgia to a 25:5 victory over Belarus.
1. Georgia 1 – 3
2. Slovakia 1 – 3
3. Poland 1 – 0
4. Belarus 1 – 0
February 19: Belarus – Slovakia (17:00), Georgia – Poland (19:00)
Group C (Gzira, Malta)
ROUND 1
Romania – Lithuania 14:1 (1:0, 5:0, 4:1, 4:0)
Romania: Fulea 4, Dragomirescu 3, Prioteasa 2, Georgescu 2, Vatrai 1, Gheorghe 1, Colodrovschi 1.
Lithuania: Galinok 1.
Malta – Ireland 28:4 (5:0, 8:0, 7:1, 8:3)
Malta: Muscat 6, M.Zammit 6, Plumpton 5, D.Zammit 4, Gambin 3, Mifsud 2, N.Zammit 1, Mizzi 1.
Ireland: McMahon 3, Fitzgerald 1.
Just like in Tbilisi, the first round in Gzira offered no thrills.
Romania and Malta proved that they were serious two contenders for the top two places and tickets for the European Championships.
1. Malta 1 – 3
2. Romania 1 – 3
3. Lithuania 1 – 0
4. Ireland 1 – 0
February 19: Romania – Ireland, Malta – Lithuania
Group D (Netanya, Israel)
ROUND 1
Turkey – Ukraine 7:7 (1:1, 2:1, 1:1, 3:4)
Turkey: Albayrak 2, Ozbek 1, Acar 1, Sonmez 1, Ergin 1, Kahraman 1.
Ukraine: Osyka 2, Ashanin 2, Gusakov 2, Diadura 1.
Israel – Netherlands 4:10 (2:2, 0:4, 0:2, 2:2)
Israel:Souva 1, Fried 1, Goldschmidt 1, Grundyland 1.
Netherlands: Janssen 3, Winkelhorst 2, Van Ijperen 2, Te Riele 1, Muller 1, Koopman 1.
The draw in the game Turkey – Ukraine has been the biggest surprise of the qualifiers so far. The Turks were the favorites, but they could be happier than their rival with this outcome. In the last 30 seconds of the game, Ukraine wasted a 2-goal advantage.
Ukraine hasn’t played at the European Championships since 1997. Turkey missed just one of the previous six editions of the Europeans (it didn’t play in Budapest in 2014). The Turks’ most significant result at the ECH was 10th place (2010). Anyway, they were favorites in the encounter that opened the tournament in Netanya.
Early in the third period, Turkey led 4:2. In the following minutes, Ukraine scored three goals in a row and gained a 5:4 advantage (27th minute). Turkey equalized immediately after, but Ukraine earned a 7:5 advantage in the 30th minute. The Ukrainians kept the advantage for a while and it seemed that they would achieve a surprising win. But, Nadir Sonmez converted a man-up for 6:7 with 29 seconds remaining on the clock. However, the drama wasn’t over yet. Ukraine didn’t manage to keep the ball and a win in the remaining time. The more experienced Turkish team forced another exclusion and earned a new man-up with just nine seconds to go. Fatih Acar beat the buzzer and found the net a second before the end for 7:7.
Host Israel kept with the Netherlands until the first break. The Dutch dominated in the middle two quarters scoring six unanswered goals.
1. Netherlands 1 – 3
2. Ukraine 1 – 1
3. Turkey 1 – 1
4. Israel 1 – 0
February 19: Turkey – Netherlands (16:30) Israel – Ukraine (18:30)
All times are local
