East Grinstead and HC Bloemendaal were both big winners on Day 2 of Euro Hockey League’s Round 1.1 event, which is being played in Germany at HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim. Grinstead thrashed Dinamo Eletrostal while Teun de Nooijer produced a sparkling performance as his Bloemendaal team scored ten times without reply against Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia. It was also a good day for Spanish teams, with Real Club de Polo de Barcelona and Atlétic Terrassa both claiming crucial victories.
DINAMO ELEKTROSTAL HIT FOR SIX BY EAST GRINSTEAD
2009 FIH Young Player of the Year Ashley Jackson and former Great Britain star Danny Hall both scored twice as East Grinstead overpowered Russia’s Dinamo Elektrostal 6-3 in the first match of Day 2 here in Mülheim. David de Prez and Grinstead player-coach Mark Pearn were also on the score-sheet for Grinstead, who produced a solid performance in a Pool G meeting that was hit by heavy rain. Dinamo Elektrostal will be disappointed to end their weekend on a losing note, but still have a great chance of reaching the KO16 phase of the competition. They will now await the result of the Sunday’s crucial clash between Grunwald Poznan and East Grinstead, knowing that anything other than a Grunwald victory will be enough to confirm their place in the last 16.
RC POLO STRIKE LATE TO OVERCOME KS POMORZANIN TORUN
Late strikes from Roger Padros and Gabriel Dabanch gave Real Club de Polo de Barcelona a hard earned but deserved victory in their Pool C meeting with KS Pomorzanin Torun. The team from Poland fought bravely and blocked out their illustrious opponents for three of the four quarters, but eventually the Spaniards emerged triumphant. Roger Padros finally broke the Torun resilience in the latter stages of the match when he burst into the circle from the right and found the bottom left corner with an accurate passed finish. The lead was doubled thanks to a penalty corner drag-flick from Gabriel Dabanch, a player who had seen various excellent chances thwarted by outstanding Torun keeper Pawel Murszewski. The result confirmed that RC Polo and Beeston are the two Pool C qualifiers for Easter’s KO16 event, with Torun being eliminated from the tournament. Beeston and RC Polo face each other on Sunday in a match that will determine who will take the all-important top seeding in the KO16 draw.
ATLÉTIC’S GUERRERO STRIKES LATE TO KILL OFF AHTC WIEN
Atlétic Terrassa became the second Spanish winners of the day thanks to a 3-2 win over AHTC Wien. However, it was a far from easy victory for the Spanish champions who needed a 67th minute penalty corner from Ignasi Guerrero to ensure that they claimed all five points from the contest. The win ensured that Atlétic will play at Easter’s KO16 event, where they will be joined by Pool B rivals HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim. Atlétic and tournament hosts Uhlenhorst will go head to head tomorrow to decide which team will win the pool and get a favourable seeding in the KO16 draw. Sadly for AHTC Wien, the defeat means the end of their Euro Hockey League journey in the 2011-2012 Season.
BREATHTAKING BLOEMENDAAL DESTROY OLIMPIA KOLOS SEKVOIA
2009 Euro Hockey League champions HC Bloemendaal were in devastating form in the final game of the day, thumping Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia 10-0 to guarantee their place in the Knock-Out rounds. The impressive performance confirmed a safe passage through to the knock-out phase of the competition for the Dutch club. Teun de Nooijer’s men will qualify alongside Russian champions HC Dinamo Kazan, a side that they will face on Sunday in a match that will decide the winner of Pool H. Bloemendaal will enter that match as clear favourites, determined to make it two wins out of two before they leave Mülheim.
The final day of action in Mülheim will begin with East Grinstead (ENG) locking horns with WKS Grunwald Poznan (POL) at 09:30 (CET). Grunwald will need a win at the least if they are to keep alive any chance of reaching KO16. The remaining three matches will be between teams that have qualified for the knock-out stages, with the winners taking that all important top spot ahead of next month’s KO16 draw. England’s Beeston will play RC Polo (ESP) at 12:00 with Atlétic Terrassa (ESP) facing hosts Uhlenhorst Mülheim (GER) at 14:30. The final match of the tournament will take place between HC Bloemendaal (NED) and HC Dinamo Kazan, which begins at 17:00.
Full reports of all matches from Day 2 can be found at www.ehlhockey.tv, along with video highlights, official documentation and a full broadcast schedule for the tournament.
