World Cup in Bolzano: These Romanians are amazing

She is the big surprise at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Bolzano: Romania's national team. After a final victory against Japan, she even dreams of a really big coup.

04 Maj 2024

From: fop

With a 4-2 win against the ice hockey players from the Land of the Rising Sun, Romania has at least temporarily taken second place in the table. Should Italy play against South Korea (from 16 p.m. in SportNews-Live ticker) do not score fully and Hungary lose to FIx promoted Slovenia in the evening game, then the ice hockey team from the Black Sea would be assured of making it into the world group for the first time. It would be a real sensation!

However, the Romanians' third victory in their fifth World Cup game was hard-fought. Roberto Gliga and Yevgeni Skachkov gave the Eastern Europeans, who were strong in combination, the lead twice, but Japan held on with a lot of running and shortened the lead to 2:3 shortly before the end with a rebound goal from Yu Sato. An empty-net goal from Matias Haaranen put the lid on things in the last minute of the game.

Romania could even briefly hope for promotion. But for that to happen, Italy would have had to lose against South Korea. That didn't happen, instead we celebrated the Azzurri won 8-1. As a result, the Asians were relegated, Romania and Japan stayed in the league.

The last World Cup matchday:

Romania – Japan 4:2
Goals: 1:0 Gliga (4.26), 1:1 Isogai (18.17), 2:1 Skachkov (18.35), 3:1 Rokaly (34.15), 3:2 Yu Sato (56.21), 4:2 Haaranen (59.03)
Audience: 1015

Italy – South Korea 8:1
1:0 Frigo (00.21), 2:0 Mantenuto (6.27), 3:0 Kostner (13.21), 4:0 Frank (19.51), 4:1 Shin (21.10), 5:1 Catenacci (41.10), 6: 1 Mantenuto (43.05), 7:1 Salinitri (43.31), 8:1 Marchetti (44.00)
Audience: 4227

Slovenia - Hungary 1:2
Goals: 0:1 Janos Hari (7.09), 1:1 Rok Ticar (25.38), 1:2 Kristof Papp (57.09)
Audience: 2.169