Late celebration: Jan Schäublin scored the decisive Swiss goal twelve seconds before the end against world champions Italy.
World Cup starts with a bang – Switzerland beats world champion Italy
Switzerland won the opening match of the 5th IWAS Powerchair Hockey World Championships in Sursee against the reigning world champions Italy 5:4 (1:2). The decisive goal for the team of national coach Daniel Pulver was scored by Jan Schäublin twelve seconds before the end. 1000 fans experienced a thriller in the Stadthalle.
The Swiss national powerchair field hockey team started the home World Championships in Sursee with a remarkable comeback. For a long time, the hosts had to go through the bottom against the defending champions. The defense, prudently led by world champion Claudio Comino, allowed only a few Swiss opportunities. After Comino’s fine individual performance to make it 4:2 for Italy, the locals were under pressure in the Stadthalle Sursee.
With a strong willpower the Swiss fought their way back into the game. Led by the omnipresent Dominik Zenhäusern, who caused panic with his pirouettes in front of the Italian goal, Switzerland continuously made up the deficit. Zenhäusern made the Swiss desired result possible with his magisterial passes to Jan Schäublin (3:4), Manuel Melder (4:4) and again to Schäublin (5:4).
“I kept cyrcling in front of the Italian goal and kept my composure, so that at some point I was able to play the free teammate with a cross pass,” said Dominik Zenhäusern after the game. The player of the Iron Cats Zurich added: “We fought with passion and wanted the victory against the world champion at all costs. Here in Sursee, we play by our rules.”
The team of the reigning world champion still included three players who won the gold medal at the home World Championships in Lignano Sabbiadoro four years ago: Claudio Comino, Marco Ferrazza and Ion Jignea. They had to realize after the opening match that Switzerland is one of the title favorites.
Denmark produces stone-age result – Anders Berenth scores 16 goals
In the opening match of Group B, Denmark easily beat Australia 32:0 (22:0). The most striking player in the team of the world number 2 was Anders Berenth. The technically skilled Dane contributed 16 goals and two assists to the resounding victory. His teammate Alexander N. Pedersen is also in good form. He scored eight goals and provided three assists.
Traditional sounds and dancing in wheelchairs
The cultural program of the opening ceremony was dominated by alphorn music and breakdancing. The trio of the Alphorn Association Pilatus Kriens with Iris Fuchser, Josef Dahinden and Nicolas Knoblauch enchanted athletes and spectators alike. Cornelia Jungo, wheelchair dancer from BewegGrund in Bern, presented together with Ernesto Marquez alias bboy_Nestor and Moa Yamin Bomolo alias bboy_Moa excerpts from the stage play “Run” by Vanessa Cook. In addition to the official representatives of the international federation, National Councilor Christian Lohr also delivered greetings to those present.
Switzerland – Italy 5:4 (1:2)
Stadthalle Sursee. – 1000 spectators. – Referees Virtanen (Fi)/Borgers (Ho)/Vanhove (Bel). – Goals: 4. Comino 0:1. 6. Melder (Schäublin) 1:1. 11. Granzotto 1:2. 24. Braillard (Schäublin) 2:2. 27. Granzotto (Comino) 2:3. 30. Comino 2:4. 32. Schäublin (Zenhäusern) 3:4. 35. Melder (Zenhäusern) 4:4. 40 (39:48) Schäublin (Zenhäusern) 5:4.
Switzerland: Bachmann; Braillard, Schäublin, Spirig, Melder; Inhelder, Zenhäusern.
Remarks: 28th Schäublin misses penalty.
Denmark – Australia 32:0 (22:0)
Stadthalle Sursee – 250 spectators. – SR Laakso (Fi)/Kach (Sz)/Rosche (Sz). – Goals: 1. Berenth (Hillbrandt-Mogensen) 1:0. 2. Pedersen (Berenth) 2:0. 3. Berenth (Pedersen) 3:0. 4. Pedersen 4:0. 4. Berenth (Pedersen) 5:0. 5. Pedersen 6:0. 5. Berenth 7:0. 6th Pedersen 8:0. 7th Berenth (Richelsen) 9:0. 7th Richelsen 10:0. 8th Richelsen 11:0. 9th Berenth 12:0. 10th Berenth 13:0.11th Richelsen 14:0. 11th Richelsen 15:0. 14th Berenth 16:0. 15th Berenth 17:0. 16th Berenth 18:0. 16th Berenth 19:0. 19th Berenth 20:0. 20th Pedersen 21:0. 20th Pedersen 22:0. 21st Berenth 23:0. 22nd Pedersen 24:0. 22nd Berenth (Pedersen) 25:0. 24th Pedersen 26:0. 27th Jensen 27:0. 30th Jensen 28:0. 34th Jensen 29:0. 35th Berenth 30:0. 36th Jensen (Berenth) 31:0. 40th Berenth 32:0.
Sursee (Sz). 5th IWAS Powerchair Hockey World Championship. 1st matchday. Group A: Switzerland – Italy 5:4 (1:2). – Group B: Denmark – Australia 32:0 (22:0). – Matches from the 2nd matchday (Wednesday, August 10). Group A: Belgium – Netherlands (9:30 a.m.). Switzerland – Canada (1 p.m.). Belgium – Italy (4:30 p.m.). – Group B: Germany – Finland (11:15 a.m.). Spain – Australia (2:45 p.m.). Germany – Denmark (6.15 p.m.).