IKF ECup final day
Schweriner Korfball Club e.V. ’67 – Club Esportiu Vilanova i La Geltru (referee: Ondrej Fridich)
The first match of the day is decisive for the 7th and 8th place in the final ranking. One would have expected that both teams would have played for a higher ranking because of previous results in IKF ECups .
To start playing early in the morning is rather unusual and that may be the reason that the score went up very slowly. At half time it seems impossible to predict who would take the seventh place (7 – 8)
Same concept in the second half. Both teams struggling to create a score difference and in cases when this seem to happen the opponents immediately close the gap! (13 – 13) When everybody settles for a golden goal the Germans prove to be the most fortunate. (17 – 16)
Trojans K C – State University –HSS (referee: Ronald Buis)
It has been a while since we have seen such a good Russian team. New outfits, a top coach and a good tactical plan, it all seem to give a revival to Russian korfball.
Trojans on the other hand, played a strange tournament. Beaten by the Czechs it took much effort to take revenge against Schweriner and we were curious how they would have recuperated.
As this proved to be a problem, Russians made it clear at halt time that there would be no discussion about the 5th place (7 – 20)
Same scenario in the second half with a dominating Russian team that was happy to score over 30 goals! (16 – 34)
KCC Sokol Ceske Budejovice – Núcleo Corfebol Benfica (referee: Miguel Wensma)
This is all about prestige! A third place in the IKF ECup is an indication of the progress in a country. Benfica is very determined to show that their good result from last year is not a coincidence and Ceske Buejovice struggles for the status of the past period.
Young Portuguese enthusiasm against experience by age results in 8 – 9 at the start of the real playing time. At half time the score is 8 – 13 and Benfica seems on its way to victory.
After tea Benfica is the better team! Longer preparation in the attack zone, better shooting and secure defence leads to 15 – 23 just before the end.
Both teams can be proud of their overall performance and will benefit from their ranking in the next edition. (18 – 27)
Kon. Boeckenberg K C – KZ/Hiltex (referee: Paul Jeanes)
Some injuries in the Dutch team, the ranking in the Dutch competition, ingredients for the Belgians to give it a go after many unsuccesful years. But again players in the Korfball league in The Netherlands, the strongest competition in the world, are used to battles like this and the Belgians were too impressed by the power play that they could not avoid the Dutch from dominating the first half. Only a few Belgians showed their top level and that was unsufficient to confuse KZ (6 – 13)
However in the second half a reborn Boeckenberg steadily but surely narrowed the gap creating frustration in the Dutch camp and giving a hard time for the referee (16 – 20) Silence in the camp of Dutch supporters!
The revival started too late. Long Dutch attacks, only meant for killing time, decided about the final score. Boeckenberg was the best team in the second. KZ in the first! It has been a while since we witnessed such a thrilling final
18 – 20
