IKF U21 WKC 2018 Day 7 & 8 Finals: Matches schedule, live streaming links & updated reviews

Turkey faced England for 9th place. Neither team was able to dominate their opening exchanges. Turkey went ahead three times, but could not hold it and went behind for the first time at 3-4. An injury to Arslan (#15) forced an early substitution for Turkey. A couple more goals and the quarter finished 4-5 to England with both teams needing to find some inspiration.

Turkey started the second quarter with more focus and quickly scored two goals to edge ahead 6-5. The England players had been showing more composure and now took control of the match scoring 7 of the next 8 goals including a well-worked running goal and a side-line goal from Summers (#09). A couple of decisions against England were questioned by the coach, who received a sharp word from referee Marks (Australia), otherwise England finished the half in control, leading 7-12.

As good as England played in the second quarter, the third was one of missed chances. Both teams were playing much tighter defence. Turkey were able to create the better chances and scored the next three, including two from Gezek (#09), taking his tally to five. England responded, a Fitzgerald (#08) free pass taking England three ahead, 10-13. A missed England penalty and two further goals and the third quarter finished 12-13.

The tension continued into the final quarter. Both teams worked hard but could not create clear chances. A England penalty converted by Dawes (#18) put England two ahead with six minutes left. Gorez (#10) caused lots of problems throughout the match and responded with a running goal. She continued to cause problems, but could not convert a final chance. Late penalty misses from both teams increased the tension. Eventually, England were able to run out the clock and avoided golden goal for the second day, winning 13-14 to take 9th place.

Czech Republic and Hong Kong China met in the 7th place match with Czech Republic confident after beating their opponents 26-10 in the pool match. Czech Republic started brightly, Havlova (#03) scoring with the first shot of the match. They continued to attack well but found it difficult to score, eventually getting the second after five minutes. At the other end, Hong Kong could not find a way through the Czech Republic defence with a series of single shot attacks. Hong Kong scored in the last minute of the quarter, then both teams scored quickly. The quarter ended 2-4 to Czech Republic with as many goals in the final minute as the first nine. Czech Republic started the second quarter as brightly as the first, Novotny (#24) scoring twice from distance in quick succession. The match struggled to come to life with the attacks creating little and referee Van Der Terp (Netherlands) calling several defended shots. Both teams scored once more for a half-time score of 3-7 to Czech Republic.

The match came to life in the third quarter. Six goals scored in three minutes with Czech Republic going 5-11 ahead. Snajder (#12) getting involved in the game, scoring three and receiving two admonitions from the referee. Both teams were posing much more open korfball and further goals were scored. 6-15 at the end of the third quarter. With the game already likely lost, Hong Kong started to take more chances and the match flowed from end to end. Hong Kong won the final quarter 5-3 to take some reward for their efforts. Final result was 11-18 to Czech Republic who finish in 7th place.

The first match of the final day was between the host country, Hungary, and China. These teams met on the first day in an enthralling contest that Hungary won 19-15. As in the first match, China started much the stronger and pulled away to a 1-5 lead, with five different scorers. Hungary struggled with the close attention of the China defence. An early Hungary timeout and a change in tactics and they were able to respond scoring three, including two from Horvath (#05) to end the quarter 4-5 down.

With the scoreline remaining close, the play from both teams became increasingly physical. Referee Garcia (Catlonia) and assistant Huang (Chinese Taipei) were required to intervene to calm the players down. Despite the infringements, the game remained exciting for the vocal crowd. China continued to maintain a slight advantage, though Hungary responded to the crowd and kept in touch.

China’s Cao (#19) was flattened heavily by his opponent and after a lengthy injury break, he returned to score the penalty. Hungry responded immediately with a penalty of their own from Bellusz (#08) to reduce the gap again to two, 7-9 to China.

A final goal from Yao (#10) and the half finished 7-10 to China.

Hungary made changes at half-time, Laki (#12) and Beothy (#04) coming on. China continued to have the better of the match, scoring twice early in the third quarter to extend the lead to five, 7-12. Hungary were becoming increasingly frustrated, Bellusz earning himself a yellow card.

Hungary reduced the gap to three sharing at 9-12 with a well worked goal from Beothy and the same division had a dominant period of play, recycling well, but with no end result. The third quarter finished with China in control at 10-14.

Then the match just exploded. Six penalties and two good goals from Falcsik (#17) and Hungary were level at 16-16. The crowd were behind their team again, cheering goals and putting the referee under a lot of pressure. The teams shared four more goals, including a third in five minutes for Falcsik and the teams were level at 18-18 in the final minute. Two great calls from referee Garcia in the dying and the game went to golden goal.

After a brief break, China scored immediately with a controlled attack. Hungary responded well, almost scoring a running shot before a collision and a penalty. Cao earning a yellow card. Lang (#07) converting. China were able to force a penalty. Contending with a vocal crowd, the penalty was missed. Hungary could not score from their next attack. Chu (#12) scoring a long shot to settle the match.

Players of the match, Brigitta Bulucz (#02) for Hungary and Yuran Fu (#06) for China.

The bronze medal match took place between Chinese Taipei and Portugal. A large crowd stayed hoping to witness another close encounter. The pool match between these teams finished 19-16 to  Chinese Taipei. Portugal started brightly with Wagenmaker (#04) scoring from their first two attacks. Taipei responded well and soon went ahead, scoring four penalties, three from Tseng (#11) while Portugal missed two. The first quarter finished 7-2 to Chinese Taipei. After going six behind, the Portuguese coach made the first change bringing Frade (#02) into the match. Portugal had their best period since the start of the match scoring three before half-time to for an 11-7 Chinese Taipei lead.

Portugal kept coming into the match, reducing the gap to two at 12-10 with two more penalties and another miss. Nunes (#03) scored her second from distance to bring the score to 13-11 to Chinese Taipei at the end of the third quarter.

Condado (#13) returned to the match after a short rest to join an attack including Wagenmaker who was causing all sorts of problems for Taipei. Wagenmaker drew the free pass and scored before being flattened. She scored the equaliser from long range. Referee Pazourek (Czech Republic) supported by Van Grimberge (Belgium) was paying close attention as the play became increasingly physical. The Chinese Taipei coach received a yellow card for his actions during yet another penalty. Tseng scored his sixth goal as Chinese Taipei pulled ahead again. As the clock ran down, Portugal could not convert any of several chances and Chinese Taipei were able to control the end of the match to win 18-16 and the bronze medal.

Players of the match, Yi Liang  Tseng (#11) for Chinese Taipei and Laura Wagenmaker (#04) for Portugal.

The Championship final is between Belgium and The Netherlands. Favourites, Netherlands won the pool match 21-14 after a tightly contested first twenty minutes. The first couple of minutes saw nervous play from both teams as a number of chances were missed. Referee Busik (Slovakia) and assistant Marks (Australia) were kept busy with some fast, close play under both posts. The teams converting a penalty each, the first of six in the quarter, to open the scoring. Zuijdwegt (#02) was lively in open play for Netherlands as they went 3-5 ahead. Despite the close defence from both teams, the attacks were able to score regularly as Netherlands maintained a two goal into the second quarter, 5-7. Carlo De Vries (#14) scored his fourth (two penalties) Netherlands kept control 7-10 ahead. The Belgian coach took action with De Lay (#44) and Van Den Dycke (#40) switching ends. Two more goals concluded an uneventful first half with Netherlands leading 8-11.

The third quarter continued much as the first half finished, with both teams playing controlled, quality korfball. Goals from Zwolle (#14) and De Vries enabled Netherlands to extend the lead to five, 8-13. A couple more changes from Belgium and more goals saw them pull back to within two at the end of the third quarter, 14-16.

Again, the Netherlands response was calm  as they extended the lead again, Zuidwegt scoring her third, and then Zwolle from distance. Belgium were not flustered and Engels (#28) scored her first before De Lay scored from distance again to bring the game back to two. After the change of ends, Belgium were just one down with a penalty. Further goals from Zwolle and De Vries, eleven between them, again stretched the Dutch lead to three. Another Belgium penalty with three minutes left endured the match would be contested to the end. There was to be one final Dutch goal as they won 18-21 to become U21 World Champions.

Players of the match, Niels Delbeke (#47) for Belgium and Leander Zwolle (#11) for Netherlands.