Men’s EuroHockey Club Challenge III (Oslo, Norway)

1^st/3^rd Place: Vilnius Žuvedra HC (LTU) – Warriors HC (FIN) 4-1

Vilnius Žuvedra fired their way to men’s EuroHockey Club Challenge II glory with a handsome 4-1 win over Warriors, taking one of the two join-first place spots available.

They led almost from start to finish with Rafal Stankevič giving the Lithuanian side the dream start in the fifth minute. Algirdas Jackevičius extended the lead before half-time and then made it 3-0 in the third quarter.

Noa Sallinen did get Warriors on the board in the 36^th minute but hopes of an unlikely comeback were held up from then on. Edvin Stankevič then concluded the scoring with the fourth goal with a minute left on the clock.

1^st/3^rd Place: HK Lipovci (SLO) – Qormi Daikin (MLT) 1-1, Qormi win shoot-out 3-2

Steve Tanti flicked in the crucial shoot-out to earn Qormi Daikin one of the two gold medals on offer as they snatched victory ahead of HK Lipovci.

After a scoreless first half, the Slovenian side had the edge in the third quarter when Marcel Stanko nicked the first goal.

And that is how it stayed until four minutes from the end of normal time when Keith Bajada scored from Qormi’s fifth penalty corner for 1-1. They had a further two set pieces in the closing minutes but both were repelled by the Slovenian outfit.

It meant a shoot-out which was tense throughout, 2-2 going into the final round where Dominik Mesarič was denied by Shamison Mifsud, setting the stage for Tanti to score the winner, albeit at the second attempt.

5^th/7^th Place: HT85 (FIN) – Valhalla LHC (SWE) 3-2

Sampo Hirvioja’s 47^th minute goal earned HT85 fifth place overall for the Finnish side from a rollercoaster battle. Valhalla had edged in front in the 10^th minute through Mathis de Vusser but HT85 swapped things around with Aaron Lehmus and Santeri Määttänen making it 2-1.

Valhalla replied with Jan-Olof Rydin equalising but Hirvioja’s final quarter effort defined the final outcome.

Final standings.

1= Vilnius Žuvedra (LTU)

1= Qormi Daikin (MLT)

3= Warriors HC (FIN)

3= HK Lipovci (SLO)

5= Mortensrud-Aker SK (NOR)

5= Hockey Team 85 (FIN)

7= Valhalla LHC (SWE)

Goalkeper of the tournament: Jobanvir Khaira Singh (Warriors)

Player of the tournament: Lauri Ondreka (Warriors)

Top Goalscorer: Edvin Stankevic (Vilnius Žuvedra)