Overwhelming emotions, joy, tears, uncertainty until the end and a full house. Not one single ingredient lacked on the day the U19 World Championship finalists were known at the legendary Aldo Cantoni.
1st Semifinal
Portugal vs Italy
Italy is in the final of the U19 World Championship for the first time in its history, after beating 3-6 (2-3 at half-time) the Portuguese team in the first semi-final of the night.
It was a match worthy of a semifinal, very well played by the Italians, with a demolisher Squadra Azzura scoring - in less than 30 seconds (at minute 21) - two goals, by Giulio Piccoli. Portugal was trying to recover and reorganizing when suffered the third, three minutes later, also signed by Piccoli. With this disadvantage, the Portuguese boys went through moments of bewilderment, while Italy continued pressing, always looking to score more goals.
At minute 16, following a direct shot due to a blue card shown to Italy, Tiago Sanches scored the first one for Portugal. In the last moments of the first half, the Portuguese team search the path for the opposing goal and scored, two minutes before the breaktime.
In the second half, Italy surprised the Portuguese team again and scored two more goals, in a short space of time: at minute 21 the fourth and, two minutes later, the fifth. Portugal tried to thwart the Italians but lacked effectiveness and little luck, while Italy was more effective and better mentally, motivated by the result in the scoreboard.
With just three minutes left to play, Portugal scored the third and last goal. Italy still had the last word and scored the sixth and final goal of the match, with just three seconds on the stopwatch.
At the end of the game, the Portuguese team sadness differed from the immense joy of the Italians, that had just defeated the current European Champion and achieved a historic feat: to be in a World Championship final, where will play, tomorrow, against Argentina
Noteworthy, a sold-out Aldo Cantoni, who applauded both teams, at the end of the match, as they made a complete turn, around the rink.
2nd Semifinal
It was an epic match, the one between Argentina and Spain, to decide the second finalist of the night. Argentina defeated Spain 5-3, after going to the breaktime losing 0-2. It took a lot of effort for the host team to win, with the match having to be decided in the extra time.
An intense game, from the beginning until the end, especially concerning men to men marking, where the Spanish were strong, even when they did not have the ball. Spain played more in block, as a group, attacking and defending, while Argentina showed more samples of individual intents, especially after the first goal from the Spanish team.
On the second half, Argentina organized itself more as a team, calmer preparing its moves and reaching more times the opponent’s area. The first goal from the host team was scored by Joaquin Olmos, at minute 23. A minute and a half later, Giuliano Giuliani scored the 2-2.
Argentina started believing that could win the match when Bruno Saavedra scored the third for Spain with still 13 minutes until the end. The minutes were flying, several goal opportunities for both teams and Argentina tied again, by Olmos and Francisco Torres, with just barely two minutes left to play, taking the game for the extra time, where Argentina scored the two goals that guaranteed a place in the final.
It was an epic night for the host team, for all reasons plus one: Argentina beat the team that beat them in the final of the previous World Championship, in 2019, in Barcelona.
5th to 8th Places
Switzerland vs Great Britain
It was a well-balanced match between Switzerland and Great Britain, the first one to decide the 5th to the 8th place. The Swiss team beat the British by 3-2, after reaching the breaktime, losing by 1-2. The Swiss team captain, Jonathan Scheer scored the winning goal for his team. Switzerland will now fight for the 5th place against the national team of Chile and Great Britain will try to win the 7th place against Colombia.
Colombia vs Chile
In the second game, Chile beat Colombia 2-4 (0-2 at half-time). It was a good rink hockey match that started well-balanced, with opportunities for both teams, with a slight ascendancy from the Chilean team - which was the first to score, by Mario Chavarria.
In the second half, the opportunities continued for both. Colombia increased its hockey pace and even reduced the score with two goals. The game final moments were exciting with both teams doing everything they could: one wanting to win and the other, wanting to extend the result, which didn’t happen despite all the efforts.
9th and 10th places
To define the ninth and tenth place in the competition, USA and Mexico played the first of two legs today, with the overwhelming triumph of the North Americans by 17-4 (6-3 at half-time). Highlight for the brothers Comeglio, Batista and Genaro, who scored 13 of the 17 goals of their team
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Photogallery of the day
Semifinal - Friday 4th November - Venue: Estadio Aldo Cantoni
19:30 (ART) - 23:30 (CET) - SF1 - Portugal x Italy = 3-6
22:00 (ART) - 02:00 (CET) - SF2 - Argentina x Spain = 5-3 after overtimes
Classification 5th to 8th place - Friday 4th November - Venue: Estadio Aldo Cantoni
14:30 (ART) - 18:30 (CET) - SF4 - Switzerland x Great Britain = 3-2
17:00 (ART) - 21:00 (CET) - SF3 - Colombia x Chile = 2-4
Final 9th/10th place - 1st Leg - 4th november 12:00 (ART) - U.S.A. x Mexico = 17-4
Final 9th/10th place - 2nd Leg - 5th november 9:30 (ART) - Mexico x U.S.A.
Finals - Saturday 5th November - Venue: Estadio Aldo Cantoni
Final 7th/8th place - 12:00 (ART) - 15:00 (GMT) - Colombia x Great Britain
Final 5th/6th place - 14:30 (ART) - 18:30 (CET) - Chile x Swtizerland
Final 3rd/4th place - 17:00 (ART) - 20:00 (GMT) - 21:00 (CET) - Spain x Portugal
Final 1st/2nd place - 20:00 (ART) - 00:00 (CET) - Argentina x Italy
Detailed statistics:
U.S.A. - MEXICO = 17-4 (6-3, 11-1)
USA: Barton, Aikey, Comeglio B, Comeglio G, Sarver - Murphy, Smerk, Smith, Gorsuch - Coach: Ferguson
Mexico: Froylam, Benitez, Nery (C), Gonzalez P, Chautle - Rodriguez E, Gonzalez E, Rodriguez A, Ramirez, Leyva - Coach: Rodriguez J
Scorers: 1st: 5'07" Cuautle (M), 5'27" Comeglio G (U), 9'08" Benitez (M), 9'30" Comeglio B (U), 13'11" Smith (U), 16'26" Comeglio G (U), 16'58" Comeglio B (U), 21'28" Comeglio G (U), 24'31" Gonzalez E (M) - 2nd: 0'10" Sarver (U), 3'25" Sarver (U), 3'25" Sarver (U), 4'12" Comeglio G (U), 8'01" Comeglio B (U), 11'10" Comeglio B (U), 11'30" Cuautle (M), 13'32" Comeglio B (U), 14'10" Comeglio B (U), 17'32" Comeglio G (U), 20'14" Comeglio G (U), 20'36" Comeglio B (U), 23'15" Smerk (U)
Penalties: 2nd: 11'55" Smith (2') (U)
Referees: Loic Le Menn (Fra) Giraudo (Arg)
SWITZERLAND - GREAT BRITAIN = 3-2 (1-2, 2-0)
Switzerland: Lehnherr, Bigiotti, Graf, Scheer, Scheidegger - Meier (C), Fayet, Dysli, Tondury - Coach: Simons
Great Britain: Emery-webber, Berry, Lander, Owen (C), Richards - Adams, Nasir, Darbyshire, Millward, Ganiford - Coach: Amaral
Scorers: 1st: 7'49" Lander (GB), 16'18" Owen (GB), 20'44" Graf (S) - 2nd: 7'58" Fayet (S), 20'23" Scheer (S)
Referees: Mizutamari (Arg), Morisio (Arg)
COLOMBIA - CHILE = 2-4 (0-2, 2-2)
Colombia: Palacio, Pataquiva, Correa (C), Zapata, Lopez - Joya, Zapata, Rodriguez J, Rodriguez L, Aristizabal - Coach: Torres
Chile: Zuniga, Chavarria, Mora, Paneque, Campos - Valdes, Torres, Zelaya, Valdes, Varas - Coach: Quintanilla
Scorers: 1st: 4'20" Chavarria (Chi), 22'50" Paneque (Chi) - 2nd: 5'41" Mora (Chi), 7'36" Molina (Chi), 8'32" Rodriguez L (Col), 12'24" Lopez (Col) Penalties: 2nd: 3'15" Campos (2') (Chi)
Referees: Le Menn (Fra), Giraudo (Arg)
PORTUGAL - ITALY = 3-6 (2-3, 1-3)
Portugal: Fernandes, Martins, Sanches (C), Oliveira, Henriques - Rodrigues, Vigario, Santos, Inacio, Duro - Coach: Vaz
Italy: Raveggi, Piccoli Gio, Diquigiovanni, Piccoli Giu, Cardella - Bozzetto, Pesavento, Barbieri, Volpe, Mechini - Coach: Bertolucci
Scorers: 1st: 3'12" Piccoli Giu (I), 3'39" Piccoli Giu (I), 6'32" Piccoli Giu (I), 8'45" Sanches (dir.shot) (P), 22'33" Rodrigues (P) - 2nd: 3'07" Piccoli Gio (I), 5'03" Cardella (I), 21'48" Henriques (P), 24'57" Diquigiovanni (I) Penalties: 1st: 8'45" Piccoli Giu (2') (I) - 2nd: 12'20" Martins (2') (P), 24'57" Fernandes (2') (P)
Referees: Gonzalez (Spain), Insua (Arg)