Falun follows Happee into the Champions Cup final — 04.10.2014

In a tough game in which GC and Falun played at eye level most of the time, the more efficient and cold-blooded team took the victory. Especially Alexander Galante-Carlström with four goals showed an exceptional performance.

The second semi-final of the men´s tournament between GC and Falun started on a high level of speed and some tough duels. It was the Swiss team who had the first promising opportunities. It was no surprise when GC´s second line opened the score with a beautiful move via several players cold-bloodedly finished by Christoph Meier. This goal definitely woke Falun up. It took them only one minute to equalize the score through Galante-Carlström. And another minute later the score showed already a 3:1 lead for the Swedish champions - Alexander Hallén and Jonas Adriansson were the scorers. But this was far from being a change in the game. Superstar Kim Nilsson and defender Valentin Ladner tied the game within only two and a half minutes. As both goalkeepers showed one huge save, there were no more goals in the first period. It was a spectacular start to this semi-final.

Both teams neutralized each other during the second period

During the second period both teams controlled or neutralized each other most of the time. And if a shot found its way to the goal, both goalkeepers played at their highest level. Therefore, it was no surprise that all the goals in the second period were scored around special situations. First it was Hallén who steered a loose ball into the net to the 4:3 lead for Falun during a powerplay. In the 35^th minute Rasmus Enström had no problems to score seconds after atwo-minute-penalty against GC ended. The comeback goal of the Swiss team was than scored by Meier through a penalty-shot. The second period ended with a score of 2:1 for Falun and an overall score of 5:4.

Falun closed the game in the very last minute

The last period couldn´t start worse for GC: in the 45^th and 49^th it was twice Galante-Carlström who scored cold-bloodedly from inside the box and brought the game to a 7:4 lead. But hope came back when Pascal Helfenstein tightened the score to 7:5 in 54^th minute and Falun got a two-minute-penalty. But instead of profiting from the opportunity, the Swiss team got a two-minute-penalty too. No surprise both coaches forced their respective first lines and of course GC had to try its luck with six against five and no goalkeeper. And they succeeded: captain Michael Zürcher steered a Nilsson-shot into the net. And they kept going with all they got left – in front of Falun´s goal all hell broke lose, but somehow – with combined efforts and some luck – the Swedish champions managed to prevent getting the equalizer. The game was decided only with Emil Johansson´s empty-netter seven seconds before the final whistle.

Scalvinoni: “More would have been possible”

Understandably GC´s Nico Scalvinoni was very disappointed after the game. He saw their problems beginning with the very start of the game: “We didn´t find our way into the game as we had planned. We than took to many penalties and you saw there, what a great team Falun is.” He himself didn´t play well and was discontented with his own performance and also that he alone offered Falun three powerplays. “We would havel oved to play the final, more would have been possible.”

Falun´s captain Enström showed his opponents big respect: “Grasshoppers are a very good team, but we were a bit better. It was a tough game.” He also complimented the Swiss crowd: “It´s always great to play in front of so many enthusiastic spectators.” Looking ahead to the final against Happee, Enström is pretty confident: “Of course Happee is a good team, but we beat them at the Czech Open and I think we are the better team.”

Even though both Swiss teams won their groups, in the final of this year´s Champions Cup the two scandinavian Teams Falun IBF from Sweden and Happee Jyväskylä from Finland will fight for the title.

Best players:
GC: Nr. 70 Kim Nilsson
Falun: Nr. 9 Alexander Galante-Carlström

 

(Photos:MichaelPeter/André Burri)
More photos from the match by Michael Peter and André Burri can be found on IFFFlickr.