Latvian Floorball Union » LV » 2022/2023 » News » “EX Legion” becomes the champion of Liepāja in floorball

During the last weekend, in the finals of the Liepāja floorball championship, the team “EX Legions” was crowned as the new winner of the tournament, which defeated “Dunalka” in the finals. Meanwhile, “Kings of Liepāja” took the victory in the bronze duel only in the after-game shots.

The Liepāja floorball championship season was opened in October, but ended with an exciting final stage on Saturday. On the last day of the championship, the new champions, bronze medalists, the fifth strongest team of the tournament were determined, as well as awards were presented to the most valuable players of the teams and the symbolic selection of the championship was named.

“EX Legion” was also convincing in the last battle, becoming the new champion

At the end of the final day, of course, the main battle of the championship was for the winner’s cup. In the first final stage, “EX Legion” defeated “Dunalka” 3:1 and came to the final match with the aim of repeating it in the second match as well. Meanwhile, Dunalk’s floorballers’ only chance to stay in contention for the gold medals was to claim victory, leveling the score at two games apiece.

At the beginning of the grand final, A. Brucis quickly opened the result in favor Legion floorball players. Soon after, an unsuccessful ricochet in front of the “Dunalkas” goal resulted in a 2-0 lead. After the unfavorable start, the Dunalcs teamed up and gradually changed the course of the game in their favor. In the 10th minute of the match, K. Skroderen opened the scoring for his team, but just three minutes before the halftime break, K. Kropshtals already equalized 2:2.

At the beginning of the second 20-minute cut-off, both teams kept their hopes of victory, so the gathered spectators followed the events on the field with great enthusiasm. In the middle of the second period, the main hero of the game was “EX Legions” forward K. Kalns, who beat the opponent’s goalkeeper twice in less than four minutes, putting his team in the lead with 4:2. At the end of the regular time, “Dunalka” did not give up and repeatedly changed the goalkeeper for the sixth player, but N. Lazdāns added a point to the game (5:2), allowing “EX Legions” to jump on the field in jubilation and celebrate the gold medals they earned.

Liepāja City Council Deputy Chairman Salvis Roga awarded the participants of the final match of the Liepāja Floorball Championship. First, awards were presented to the teams’ most valuable players of the season. Forward Dans Hūns was given this assessment for the silver medalists, and Nauris Lazdāns for the champions.

“Dunalka” has played a great season, causing more than one surprise, after the final game they received the silver medals and the 2nd place cup of the Liepāja floorball championship. Meanwhile, the final match of the championship and the winner of the entire tournament, “EX Legions” floorball players, were awarded with gold medals, the cup for the 1st place winners of the championship, and also received the traveling “Viesulia” trophy in their hands until the next season.

“Priekule/Sērdieņi” and “Liepājas Karaļi” prepare floorball sweet food

In the bronze duel, the second mutual match was played on Saturday. In the first game, “Kings of Liepāja” won 3:1. In order to continue the fight for the bronze medals, in the return game, the “Priekule/Serdieņi” team needed a victory already in the regular time of the game. The teams started the second baton crossing patiently and cautiously. Up to the 16th minute, both units was silentbut then scored two goals in a short time Kings, applying for bronze awards. Just eight seconds before halftime, the opponent’s goal turned off I. Alutis, reducing the difference to a minimum (1:2).

The second half started nervously, as both teams knew that the next goal could be the deciding factor in the bronze medal series. The turning point of the fight was the dismissal of E. Amzelis, which left “Kings of Liepāja” in the minority less than four minutes before the end of regular time. In just ten seconds, Priekule’s captain V. Bārtnieks realized a one-man advantage, equalizing 2:2. The scored goal further inspired “Priekule/Serdieņi” to heroic deeds and soon I. Alutis achieved the much-needed lead 3:2. In the last minute, the Liepāja team replaced the goal man with another field player, but they failed to stand out with results.

Since the team’s victories in two matches were split in half, five minutes of extra time followed until the first goal. In overtime, the teams created some dangerous episodes, but they could not lead to a goal, so the fate of the medals was decided in the post-game shootout. There was an annoyed atmosphere in the hall, because everyone present understood that one mistake could decide the fate of the medals. After five series of shots, the score in the Bulls was 2:2 and the teams continued the intense effort until the first error. “Kings of Liepājas” experienced striker Jānis Aigars made the decisive shot after the game, but Sandis Blinds worked skillfully in the goal, thereby forging bronze awards.

Egils Sveilis, chairman of the board of floorball club “Kurši”, presented the championship bronze medals and the cup for the 3rd place to the “Liepājas Karaļi” team. The teams’ most valuable players were announced at the award ceremony. In the “Priekule/Sērdieņi” team, forward Ralfs Grīnberg received the memorial award, in “Liepājas Karaļi” the most valuable player award went to defender Klāvas Matukas. Also, at this moment, the most valuable player of the season award was presented to the goalkeeper Uldis Blumberg of the 7th place winner of the championship team “Kuršu vesti”.

“FK Kurši FSS” convincingly wins the 5th place

The final day was opened by the match for the 5th place between the teams “FK Kurši FSS” and “Durbes”. The first minutes of the match started similarly, but the Durbeniks were the first to score. After the lost goal, the team of the Floorball sports school worked hard, scoring five unanswered goals in less than seven minutes. At the end of the half, both teams exchanged effective shots, going into the break with a score of 6:2. In the continuation of the game, the superiority of the Liepāja team was even more evident and they added nine accurate shots to their tally, celebrating the victory in the entire match with 15:5.

After the game, awards were presented to the most valuable players of the season of both teams. In the ranks of the winners, defender Gints Fink was recognized as the most valuable, while in the “Durbe” team, striker Emils Ronis.

THE SYMBOLISM SELECTION OF THE TOURNAMENT

The best goalkeeper – Dāvis Straupenieks (Priekule/Serdieni)
The best defender – Lucas Senius (Dunalka)
The best striker – Andrejs Yakushins (EX Legion)
Most productive player – Nauris Lazdāns (EX Legion)

The Liepaja Floorball Championship is organized by the Association “Floorball Club “Kurši”” with the support of the city of Liepaja.

On behalf of the organizers of the championship, we say a big thank you to the teams, players, fans and supporters of the tournament for 2022/2023. season of the year! See you again in the fall!

The information was prepared by: Normunds Krūmiņš,

Organizer of Liepāja floorball championship