The last time the two teams met was at the World Floorball Championship in 2014 in Gothenburg. It was a great effort then by the Japanese, who scored four goals despite allowing nine. This time it was a much easier win for the Slovaks in a match they controlled from start to finish.
In the very first shift, Lukáš Ujhelyi had a lot of free space in front of the goalie and comfortably opened the score. Confusion in Japan’s defense caused other goals in their net. It was 4-0 after just four minutes. After the first fancy moments the game was getting calmer. But then a slap shot from a distance increased the gap to five goals, a beautiful cross pass made it 6-0 and after Filip Čonka-Skyba’s second goal of the day the score after the first period was 7-0 for Slovakia.
It didn’t take long in the second period before more Slovak goals came, the highlight being Filip Čonka-Skyba’s hat-trick that increased the lead to 9-0. And it still wasn’t everything. The Slovak players were faster everywhere and two more goals before the 30th minute. Then, halfway through the second period, the Japanese defense finally showed some resistance and didn’t concede another goal for the rest of the period.
What is more, early in the third Japan scored their first goal of the tournament after Ichiro Ueda tipped in Maeda’s shot. But that was just a swan song from the Japanese side. Shortly after their consolation goal Lukáš Ujhelyi became the second Slovak player who completed a hat-trick in the match. And with two minutes left on the clock Michal Dudovič became the third one after scoring from an unbelievable shot. It was his sixth point of the game. His goal was the last one of the match that set the final score at 15-1.
DAY 4: Group Stage Culminating, Czech Republic to Face Switzerland – 4.12.2018
Germany Saves Czechs by Beating Latvia, Nordic Powers Post Convincing Wins – 4.12.2018
Sweden Dominates Norway to Get Easy 9-1 Win – 3.12.2018
Estonia Beats Thailand 11-4 to End Group Stage Unbeaten – 3.12.2018
Great First Period Secures First Victory for Finland – 3.12.2018
Great Defense Gives Australia First Tournament Win over Poland – 3.12.2018
Data Analysis: Latvia vs Czech Republic 4:3 – 3.12.2018
Impressive Third Period Pushes Germany to First Win in Prague – 3.12.2018
Zubir‘s Two Goals Help Singapore Beat Japan in Front of 6,341 Spectators – 3.12.2018
Data Analysis: Finland vs Sweden 4:5 – 3.12.2018
DAY 3: Program Starts with Asian Battle, Fans to See Two Nordic Derbies – 3.12.2018
Latvia Stuns the Hosts, Slovakia and Switzerland on Scoring Surge – 3.12.2018
Estonia Wins Evening Thriller in Arena Sparta – 2.12.2018
First Tournament Surprise as Latvia Beats Czech Republic 4-3 – 2.12.2018
Battle between Canada and Singapore Ends in First Tournament Draw – 2.12.2018
Switzerland Outclasses Germany 13-1, Känzig Scores Four Goals – 2.12.2018
Japan Enters Tournament with 1-15 Loss against Slovakia – 2.12.2018
Norway Turns Score to Get First Tournament Win – 2.12.2018
Data Analysis: Germany vs Czech Republic 5:10 – 2.12.2018
DAY 2: Twelve Teams in Action, Czechs to Face Latvia – 2.12.2018