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Czech Republic vs Austria

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Czech Republic – Austria 5 - 0 (2-0,1-0,2-0)

To make the final the Czech Republic needed a victory with at least five goals difference. There was one exception: A 5 to 0 would not be enough, in this case the Czech Republic would be all tied up with Slovakia and a penalty shootout would decide. For Austria this game was a chance to confirm yesterday's strong performance against the USA and Slovakia.

Both teams started highly motivated into the game, the Czech Republic tried get control of the game, but Austria successfully denied them from doing so. In the fifth minute Jan Bilý assisted by Jakub Mokřiž and by Michal Bezděk put the Czech Republic ahead. Motivated by this important early goal, the Czechs amplified the pressure on the Austrian net in the following minutes. Austria recovered and the game became more balanced. Towards the end of the period Michal průcha was able to score another goal for the Czech Republic, with Bezděk and Lukáš Dittmann providing the assists.

In the central period the Czechs carried the game into the Austrian zone, fighting hard to get the next goal. But with an excellent Lukas Schluderbacher in the net and a little bit of luck, the Austrians could prevent them from scoring. With the time running, the nerviness of the Czech players rose and they started to get penalties. While shorthanded Ondřej Palička on passes from Bezděk and Jaroslav Liška scored the third goal for the Czech Republic. In an intensive and fast ballhockey game Austria fought back and stayed an equal opponent. After two periods, the Czech Republic was still two goals short from at least a shootout.

In the opening minutes of the closing period Austria was well positioned and even with monopolising the game in the Austrian zone, the Czech players were not able to create many good scoring opportunities. In the seventh minute the Czech Republic could play with 5 against 3. After only eight seconds Tomáš Hák shot the ball into the Austrian net from the blue line assisted by Jiři Kruček and Bezděk.

The Austrians were now hardly able to leave their zone. The Czechs missed several big scoring opportunities before Josef Poláček released his team by netting the ball on a pass from Lukáš Dittmann in the twelfth minute.

Both teams had further scoring chances but the 5 to 0 hold until the end.

So for the first time in history two teams are all tied up, so that a penalty shootout will have to decide about the second finalist. The shootout will take place after the game Canada vs USA.

Austria will play tomorrow at 10 am against Germany in the fifth place game.

President's note

George Gortsos
ISBHF president

This past weekend I had the honour of becoming the third President of the ISBHF. I believe that as a player and coach I have always strived to play ball hockey in a skilled and team way. Now I have a chance to work with all the great leaders of our sport throughout the World who love the game like we all do. I met some great people in Paris. And I would like to thank the representatives of all our member nations who voted me in on behalf of ball hockey players around the World. This is an honour I will handle with the honesty and hard work that made me a successful player and coach. I want to share the main keys that I will strive to work with my fellow board members to make this game better around the World.
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