Women’s EuroHockey Championship II (Gniezno, Poland) – day five round-up
Final
Italy 2 Wales 1
A pair of clever Italian penalty corner goals was enough for the top-ranked side to land gold ahead of the impressive Wales side, winning the women’s EuroHockey Championship II in Gniezno.
The Italians went in front in the last minute of the first quarter, countering quickly from a Welsh penalty corner to win one of their own. Ilaria Sarnari whipped the ball low into the danger zone where Maria Agustina Fiorelli got a clever touch to wrong-foot the goalkeeper and deflect into the backboard.
Wales had a volley of close calls from a couple of attacking corners in Q2 and they got their equaliser in the third period, a brilliant disguised move which saw Amy Cradden rip the ball to the right post to the diving Isabelle Howell to deflect in.
But the game was settled by Federica Carta’s corner push with 20 minutes to go which had enough on it to make it 2-1.
Both can celebrate their promotion to the top division in 2027 following their weeks efforts along with a place in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Bronze Match
Austria 1 Switzerland 1, Austria win shoot-out 2-0
Austria left it late but held their nerve to win a shoot-out over neighbours Switzerland, winning them bronze while the Swiss had to settle for a fourth place – their best ever finish at this level nonetheless.
Sofie Stomps had given the Swiss the lead in the 36th minute with an unstoppable drag-flick amid a series of penalty corners. And they held that advantage until 70 seconds from the end when Laura Kern’s thunderous shot – at the second swing – angled into the bottom corner for 1-1.
It sent the game to a shoot-out where Michaela Streb made four saves to keep a clean sheet, meaning Johanna Czecha and Kern’s successful attempts delivered the medals.
Pool C
Poland 4 Lithuania 0
Poland finished their home event on a high with a strong win over Lithuania. From their first attack, Marlena Rybacha fired the ball into the danger zone where Wiktoria Blaszyk deflected into the goal. She also got the second with a touch to Amelia Katerla’s shot across the face of goal and, once more, Blaszyk was in the right place to complete her hat trick from the second phase of a corner. Sandra Tatarczuk flicked high into the net for a deserved fourth goal.
Czechia 5 Croatia 1
Nikol Babická’s four goals saw Czechia shake off the shackles and finish in sixth place overall. She got the only goal of a low-key first half, sweeping home at the second attempt from an attack down the right wing.
Delfina Soljan equalised from a penalty stroke when Lucija Nizek’s shot hit a foot on the line but Babická struck three times in quick succession – two corners hits, one sweep from the right of the D – to put the result beyond doubt. Veronika Pribikova rebounded for the fifth goal late in the game.
Pool C
Top goalscorers: Nikol Babická (Czechia), Wiktoria Blaszyk (Poland) – 5 goals each
Player of the tournament: Betsan Thomas (Wales)
Goalkeeper of the tournament: Ursina Fazis (Switzerland)
Final rankings
- Italy
- Wales
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Poland
- Czechia
- Lithuania
- Croatia
