WFC U19 Girls 2024: Italy - Hungary 3-3 (1-1, 2-1, 0-1)

After the Hungarian Under 19 girls showed a brave fight against Denmark the match before, their chance to be successful were much better in their last match. In the 2024 World Floorball Championships, they now faced Italy. They knew the team rather well and the match-up felt to be a really interesting one. Both teams played rather disciplined, with some dangerous forwards on both sides.

This posting comes with a section of 472 major size pictures in the WFC U19 Girls section of the sports galleries.

Italy – Hungary – Match Facts

Hungary went for the same strategy as in the match before. In the more than fifteen years I follow Hungarian women’s floorball, I feel I never saw a team, which so constantly showed a strategic and disciplined performance. Italy made the game, but they absolutely struggled with the tight opponents’ defense. This match on the main court was a treat for floorball strategists. While Italy just did not make to bring their snipers Chiara Taini and Marta Pelliccioni in position, Hungary went for their fast and effective attacks. Captain Orsolya Galfi made her team cheer for the first time in the tenth minute, completing one of these successfully. The star of the team was the Hungarian netminder Hanna Szabo, though. With an amazing total of 35 saves and a percentage of over 92% in the whole match, she even got special announcements by the speaker.

This brave defensive performance gave Hungary the safe space for their attack. Another key player, Krisztina Medica, completed a central attack with a shot right into the angle of the goal (26th). However, this fight did take some energy of the team and Italy had more chances now. In the 30th minute, Belen Lara Acosta was the first Italian to make it, by a brutally deflected shot from the middle of the field. The match went tied into the second intermission, as finally Taini found the right spot to score (37th). In the third period, Hungary went short-handed twice in a row. Now, it was Pellicioni, who felt to gain the momentum for her team (46th). However, after a free hit, Panka Rezneki found Medica in the slot, who got the ball passed the defender and goalie Elena Morosi.

Hungary did not go for the victory any more, even though that would have given them the second spot in the group. Thus, finally both teams were happy with this exciting match, ending up Italy playing for the 11th place in the tournament.

Italy – Hungary – Lineups

Italy: 49 Elena Morosi ,42 Aurora Masi – 3 Sarah Buchel, 6 Sira Raimann, 9 Marta Pelliccioni, 10 Giada Campo, 12 Marta Cavaldesi, 18 Sara Pezzella, 20 Elena Leu, 23 Vittoria de Luca, 25 Chiara Taini, 26 Giulia Dieni, 27 Belen Lara Acosta, 45 Veronica di Gia, 53 Lynn Calarota, 83 Heidi Gallino, 86 Leandra Wyss, 88 Maya Gentile.

Hungary: 30 Hanna Szabo, 1 Izabell Mihaly, 31 Laura Cseh – 2 Panka Rezneki, 3 Noemi Gugg, 4 Orsolya Galfi, 5 Krisztina Medica, 9 Laura Penzes, 10 Boglarka Somkovi, 14 Fanni Anna Kallai, 23 Fanni Anna Farkas, 28 Boroka Simon, 42 Jazmin Kajtar, 47 Emma Kovacs, 71 Anna Somodi, 85 Panni Avar