Palacio de los Deportes de Riazor – A Coruña | July 22nd, 2018
Palacio de los Deportes de Riazor – A Coruña | July 22nd, 2018Last day of the 53rd Men’s European Roller Hockey Championships, where all the positions that the eleven participating national teams will finally occupy will be decided. This ninth day began with Netherland-Austria, who reached the break without goals on the scoreboard. But two goals from the Dutch as soon as they started gave them an advantage, although from that moment the match entered into a phase of constant alternatives without defining a clear favorite. In the end, the 4-5 for Austria left him in the ninth place while Netherland finished tenth and Belgium eleventh after losing his two games of the league that played the three teams.
The second game of the morning between England and Germany decided the positions seven and eight. At halftime, it seemed that we were going to attend an even match with 3-3, but after the same the Germans of the Spanish Jordi Molet came to place with a clear 3-11 until in the last minutes the English arranged a bit the defeated leaving the final 6-12.
More equal and exciting was the first match of the afternoon, with Andorra and Switzerland competing for the fifth place. At halftime, the helioptics of the Asturian coach Alejandro Rodríguez dominated 2-3, although the Principality came to go ahead with the 2-1. The second part was very disputed and equalized, so it could win either, but in the end Switzerland won 3-5 and was awarded the fifth place while Andorra sixth.
The match for the bronze medal between France and Italy started with less pace of the two played yesterday in the semifinals. Perhaps both accused the fatigue and so the lack of success was the predominant note to rest, without goals on the scoreboard. The greater bottom of the bench allowed the ones of Massimo Mariotti to take a step more in the second time, when the goals of the Azzurra arrived that Domenico Illuzzi opened a penalty after which they arrived other three of Alessandro Verona, picking up their rejection after a direct lack , David Banini and again Illuzzi. With the match sentenced, Roberto di Benedetto scored for France with a penalty and then Verona made the fifth, ending the match with a new penalty converted by Roberto di Benedetto leaving the final 2-5 that gave Italy the third place and a place on the podium.
And finally came the grand final with Spain and Portugal as protagonists to take the trophy of the 53rd Men’s European Roller Hockey Championships. The match began with a lot of rhythm on the part of both teams and playing the attack seamlessly. Those of Luís Sénica gave first with a goal in the three minutes of Gonçalo Alves but the Spaniards responded with two goals from Jordi Adroher and Ferran Font, who a few minutes later received a blue card. Those of Alejandro Domínguez endured well the inferiority and even, thanks to the offensive pressure and to the great performance of Sergi Fernández, that neutralized all the Portuguese attacks, the third came from Eduard Lamas before the break after a great play against Spain.
As a hurricane left the Spaniards at the beginning of the second period and fruit of it were the goals of Ignacio Alabart and Pau Bargalló to place a reassuring 5-1, although Portugal reduced the difference with a goal of direct lack of João Rodrigues. However, Spain did not give up and Ferran Font put the ball back on the Portuguese net. 6-2 to nine minutes to the end and the game seemed to be decided for the hosts and that was the case, although João Rodrigues, top scorer of the competition with 24 points, scored the third of Portugal two minutes before the final and left the final 6 -3 in a spectacular and vibrant encounter in a Palacio de los Deportes de Riazor of A Coruña that lived a great day of hockey on skates.
The closing ceremony as well as the parade of the flags of the eleven participating countries was attended by the skaters and skaters of the C. P. A. Maxia and the stellar performance of the Real Banda de Gaitas de la Excma. Deputación de Ourense.
FINAL STANDING
1. Spain
2. Portugal
3. Italy
4. France
5. Switzerland
6. Andorra
7. Germany
8. England
9. Austria
10. Netherland
11. Belgium