Slovaks say goodbye to championship with close victory: Drama and Estonia decided to be extended – Športky.sk

HELSINKI – Slovak floorball players won in their final performance at the World Championships in Helsinki over Estonia 8: 7 after extra time and took the final seventh place. They achieved the best position at the World Championships in history, so far their maximum was eighth place from Zurich 2012.

The Slovaks started Saturday’s wild shootout promisingly. After the first period, they led 3: 1 and then less than nine minutes before the end of 7: 4, but in the end they lost concentration and allowed the opponent to equalize. Michal Dudovič’s goal in the second minute of overtime finally decided their victory.

Coach Radomír Mrázek’s charges achieved five victories and two losses at the World Championships. In the basic group they managed smoothly with the USA 15: 1, Poland 8: 4 and Thailand 15: 2 and in the playoff they defeated Germany 7: 3 in the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, after a good performance, they defended the defending champion of Finland 1: 5 and in the battle for the placement on 5-8. they lost to Latvia 2: 6.

Men’s World Championships in Helsinki – 7th place:
SLOVAKIA – Estonia 8: 7 pp (3: 1, 3: 3, 1: 3 – 1: 0)

Goals: 7. Gál (Gašparík), 14. Kvasnica (Grich), 19. Pažák (Kozák), 28. Kvasnica (Gajdoš), 32. Cvacho (Gajdoš), 40. Ujhélyi (Dudovič), 43. Grich (Kvasnica) , 62. Dudovič (Gašparík) – 18. Kasenurm (Kallion), 21. Kareliusson (Bolander), 23. Dahlberg (Kasenurm), 27. Okruzko (Unga), 52. Dahlberg (Markus), 56. Kasenurm (Markus), 57. Kasenurm (Bolander). Judges: Sjogren, Ellis (both Finland), suspension: 2: 2, power-ups: 1: 2, weakenings: 0: 0.

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

The Slovaks started the duel hopefully and in the 14th minute they led Kvasnica and Gála by goals 2: 0. Although the opponent reduced, Mrázek’s charges won the first third with a two-goal difference after the intervention of Pažák, who sent the ball into the net after Kozák’s shot bounced off the back guard. The match was balanced, the chances were on both sides and the Estonians started to change them in the second part. With a series of three goals, they turned the score around and the duel took on a new dimension. The Slovaks answered quite quickly, although Dudovič did not convert the penalty shootout, but in the end they managed to equalize Kvasnica after a demonstration shot. This kicked them again and with a string of three goals they built up a 7: 4 lead in the beginning of the third period. In the end, however, with errors in the pass, they again got the Estonians on horseback. They felt a chance, breathed to the final onslaught, and managed to equalize at 7: 7. The dramatic duel thus reached extra time. In the end, Dudovič decided the triumph of the Slovak Republic with a great shot over the wall of the players.

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

Karel Ševčík, coach of the Slovak Republic: “We are sorry that due to the fact that it is constantly cold in this hall, my colleague Radomír Mrázek fell ill and so he decided not to take part in today’s match. That is why we all fought for him. In some cases, we incorrectly and late blocked the shooting of the opponent, which the Estonians punished with goals. We are, of course, satisfied with the victory. “

Michal Dudovič, the best player in the Slovak Republic and the author of the winning goal: “It was a good match and attractive to the spectator eye, but we imagined it a little differently. We wanted to have more control over the game and the course, but the Estonians showed us that they are very dangerous in offensive activities and we had, with the boys, I believe what we can do to bring it to a victorious end. “

3rd place:
CR – Switzerland 4: 3 pp (1: 1, 0: 1, 2: 1 – 1: 0)

5th place:
Latvia – Norway 4: 2 (0: 0, 3: 0, 1: 2)

• The author: © List
• Source: TASR