The Latvian hockey team lost to Germany 1: 2 in the last group match on Tuesday and did not reach the quarterfinals at the World Championships in Riga. The Latvians lacked one goal to guarantee participation in the playoffs with a tie in regular time.
The German national team secured a two-goal lead in the first seven minutes. For Latvia, Rodrigo Ābols scored in the second third, reducing the difference.
Forwards Renārs Krastenbergs, Lauri Dārziņš and Ronalds Ķēniņš were recognized as the best Latvian players in the tournament. In the last match, another striker Miķelis Rēdlihs received the award for the best player in the Latvian national team. In the overall rating of the championship, Latvia ranked 11th.
Loud support from spectators encouraged the Latvian national team, however, the result was revealed by the guests in the 4th minute.
The German team reveals the result
Jons Peterka sent the puck from a sharp angle exactly above the goalkeeper Jānis Kalniņš ‘shoulder and under the goal post.
The Germans double their dominance
The Germans managed to reach 2: 0 in the 7th minute. Marcel Nebel missed an opportunity to throw from the front. In the first third, the Latvian team did not use two numerical majority, the Germans – one.
Interview with Uvi Balinski after the first third
Latvian national team defender Uvis Balinskis said in an interview with Latvian Television after the first third that the team should play easier and move the puck forward. The end of the third was good and should be continued as well, Balinskis added.
Rodrigo Ābols scores
Under pressure from Latvian hockey players, the second third began, while the Germans became obsessed with the attack and fell into defense. Slipping against one defender in the threes, Ābols threw himself exactly after a match with Balinski.
Interview with Rodrigo Apple after the second third
After the second third, Ābols told in an interview on Latvian Television that after the break the team started to play more safely and will continue in the next stage of the game. However, Ābols made a spectacular save. At the end of the shift, he was already tired, but noticed the opponent’s mistake.
Latvian hockey players attacked a lot in the last third, did not use two majorities, less than two minutes before the end of the game they replaced the goalkeeper with a field player, but they did not have a good chance to score a goal. During the attack, the Latvians played a lot, but the Germans prevented dangerous throw situations.
Kaspars Daugaviņš, the injured captain of the national team, did not play in the home team.
A handy result for both teams would have been a draw in regular time, as it would guarantee participation in the quarterfinals for both Latvia and Germany. Which team would win in overtime or post-match throws would secure 3rd place in the group, but the competitors would finish the best four.
In turn, when Germany won in the regular time, Latvia was behind the threshold of the quarter-finals, but Canada took the last vacancy in the playoffs. In the first game of the day in the group, Canada lost to Finland after the game, losing Kazakhstan from the quarter-finals. The first place in subgroup B was won by the US team, while the second place was taken by Finland.
In the match against Germany for the first and only time in the World Championship, the Latvian national team could be supported in person.
Interview with Artis Ābols before the game
Before the match, the coach of the Latvian national team Artis Ābols described the Germans as a physically strong team that is very active on the field. However, this is not the first time that the Latvian national team has met with Germany in such a responsible game and is going to win, emphasized Ābols.
Interview with Jorg Lubrich
Jorgs Lubrihs, a journalist of the magazine “Bild”, in an interview on Latvian Television before the match, expressed confidence that one of the best German teams of all time is playing in Riga. The Germans are fast and disciplined, which helps them to win with success, added Lubrich.
Interview with Elvi Merzlikina
Goalkeeper Elvis Merzlikins, who remained in North America due to family circumstances, said in an interview with Latvian Television before the match that the tournament table in the championship is interesting, but he never looked at his team’s points. Merzlikkin is convinced that the Latvian national team against Germany will definitely be helped by fans in the stands.
Already before the games on Tuesday, four quarterfinals were known in subgroup A, where the Russian Olympic Committee team, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia took part in the playoffs. The first place in subgroup A was won by the Russians, who scored five unanswered goals in the first third of the evening game against Belarus and secured the match 6: 0.
Before the last game of Latvia, two pairs of the quarterfinals were already known in the USA-Slovakia and Finland-Czech Republic. Germany, as the third place winner in the group, will play against Switzerland, while the Canadians will try to secure a place in the semi-finals in the fight against the Russian Olympic Committee team.
The quarterfinals will take place on Thursday, the semifinals will take place on Saturday, and the winners of the gold and bronze medals in the finals will be determined on Sunday, June 6.
Vote for the best Latvian player in the match against Germany
