The dream of the semifinals has faded: after a good performance, the Slovaks were not enough for Finland – Športky.sk

HELSINKI – Slovak floorball representatives lost in the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Helsinki with the defenders of the Finnish title 1: 5. At the championship, they will fight for the final 5.-8. place, the next one will meet Latvia on Friday at 9.00 CET.

The Slovaks, who rejoined without the injured Michal Dudovič and without further support from Filip Čonka-Skyba, resisted the Finnish pressure until the 17th minute. After the goal of Ville Lastikka, the home team ran and after two thirds they led 4: 1. Lukáš Ujhelyi scored the only goal of the Slovak Republic in the middle of the match. Coach Radomír Mrázek’s charges did not allow the reigning world champions to build a higher lead with a responsible defense, until at the very end Sami Johansson sealed the result to 5: 1. The Finns confirmed the role of a clear favorite and will face the Czech Republic in the semifinals.

The Slovaks suffered their first loss at the championship, before that they handled the US 15: 1, Poland 8: 4 and Thailand 15: 2 in the basic group and defeated Germany 7: 3 in the quarter-final playoffs. After the previous three unsuccessful attempts, they fought their way into the top eight. In the Finnish capital, they have a chance to achieve their best place at the World Championships, their maximum is the eighth place from Zurich 2012, when the championship was still played in the old format without different performance groups.

Helsinki Men’s World Cup – Quarterfinals:
Finland – SLOVAKIA 5: 1 (2: 0, 2: 1, 1: 0)

Goals: 17. Lastikka (Kotilainen), 20. Kainulainen (Lehkosuo), 31. Kotilainen (Lastikka), 33. Kotilainen (Kivilehto), 60. Johansson (Salin) – 30. Ujhelyi (Gál). Judges: Furmánek, Šolc (both CR), disqualification: 1: 1, power-ups: 0: 1, weakenings: 0: 0, 1728 spectators.

SR composition: Kohút – Řezanina, Miške, Mirt, Kozák, Hatala, Virga – Gál, Gašparík, Kubovič – Ujhelyi, Grlický, Pažák – Grich, Gajdoš, Kvasnica – Slezák, Cvacho

As expected, the home Finns kept the ball on the floorballs from the beginning, but the Slovaks covered the space well and did not let them into significant chances for a long time. In the 10th minute, they left Sikkinen uncovered, but Kohút performed a good intervention, then Johansson hit the construction of the goal in a power play. It was not until the 17th minute that the favorite overcame the Slovak defense, when after an exact combination he ended up in the exposed goal Lastikka. At the end of the third, Kainulainen increased the lead to 2: 0. The Slovaks could not work out a clear chance, only the endings of Gašparík and Grich were more dangerous.

They only scored a goal in the middle of the match in a power play, when after a great combination and a pass, Gála headed for the upper corner of Ujhelyi’s goal. However, the Finns immediately replied and Kotilainen calmed the lawyer with two hits. Mrázek’s team was more forward in the third period at 1: 4, but the home team were still more dangerous. However, Kohut did not allow a higher difference in the score with great interventions, he caught Kailial and Lastikka. In the end, Gál could correct, who got into two good chances, but the final word was finally given by the home Johansson – 5: 1.

Voices after the match / source: szfb.sk/:

Radomír Mrázek, coach of the Slovak Republic: “I feel maximum satisfaction internally. The boys had maximum discipline and expended a lot of energy. Tactically we managed this match very well. We kept the Finns in defense, which from a fitness point of view is a small miracle. The opponent scored only two of his five goals. of their classic game and the remaining three were after our loss of the ball, so they had to score goals. I, of course, praised the boys, because they deserve it for this performance. “

Adam Kohút, goalkeeper of the Slovak Republic: “We gave a good team performance, but the Finns are somewhere completely different, which was evident. But we also played well and we are all satisfied with the result. We wanted to play from a secure defense and enjoy this duel, which we also managed , that is, satisfaction. “

next quarterfinal result:
Czech Republic – Latvia 9: 1 (1: 0, 2: 1, 6: 0)

• The author: © List
• Source: TASR