ESP – SVK 4:1: Spain outplays Slovakia to claim 5th spot

Team Spain produced a confident performance to score four goals, beat Team Slovakia in a repeat of their highly emotional group game and ensure a final fifth spot in the tournament.

Game 6   •   p-5   •   Th 8.7.2010   •   15:00   •   Schedule and results
Spain	4:1	Slovakia
(2:0, 2:1, 0:0)
Alvarado C. - Martinez I., Beltran M., Beltran A., Castollo, Calero, Ucedo, Abrisqueta V., Abrisqueta L., Cassi, Ortuno, Pla, Alvarado L., Rodriguez, Gonzalez.		Zuziakova - Pavlovicova, Gajdosova M., Drlickova, Petrovicova, Durcanska, Lalikova, Kevesova, Gajdosova I., Vargova, Olosova, Zetkova, Ondruskova, Herichova.
Goals and assists: 10. Alvarado, 20. Ucedo (Ortuno), 22. M.Beltran (A.Beltran), 25. A.Beltran (Martinez) - 29. Herichova (Pavlovicova)
Penalties: 4:2. PP goals: 0:0. SH goals: 0:0. Referees: Arazimová, Růžičková.
Official game sheet (PDF)     video

Report

Anticipation was pretty high before the opening face off as both teams experienced a very emotional previous group game with one player injured and another two receiving match penalties. Once again, there was a lot of physical play on the rink, many penalties, but both teams concentrated on playing the best game they can.

Team Slovakia soon found their combination play a bit difficult and Spain had the upper hand for the most part of the game. In 10th minute, loose puck found its way on the stick of Alvarado near right post and the Spanish team took the lead. Things got even worse for Slovakian players in the final minute of the first half after goalie Zuziakova spilled Ortuno´s shot and gifted an easy goal to Ucedo – 2:0.

Any hope for a Slovak comeback was lost after a minute of second half, when Marien Beltran beat Zuziakova with a slapshot on a glove side and the goal margin became pretty comfortable for Spain. In 25th minute, Team Slovakia paid a price for a penalty after a nice combination and a precise shot by Anna Beltran made it 4-0. Slovaks found their only success of the game in 29th minute when Pavlovicova played a perfect cross pass to Herichova and her one timer went straight into the top right corner.

”It was a tough game. Slovaks skated pretty well, but our defense was solid and some of our combinations worked very well. We could play better in this tournament, but 5th spot can be considered as a success,” said Team Spain player Jana Cassi.

Author: Lukas Peroutka

Comments

Sylvain Humeau (Team Spain coach): Our performance was very good today, we played well defensively and scored the first goal, which was very important. The placement could have been better, but we are pretty happy about this result, as well. The championship was perfectly organized, it was a superb experience and I hope we will be back playing for higher positions next year.

Ivana Gajdosova (Team Slovakia coach): It was catastrophic. Absolutely terrible performance by all players, they were over-motivated. But I am happy with 6th place. We were at WCH for the first time and we will be better prepared next year. We got to know our opponents and know, how this tournament works. We will do everything to be 150 percent better next year.