My second match in Hungary on 18th October 2024 was somehow the “top match” for me. The team I am working with for over 17 years, the Hungarian Women Nationals Team faced their British counterpart. Definitely an interesting match-up towards the Women WFC Qualification held in late January and February 2024.
This posting comes with a section of 424 major size pictures in the sports galleries.
Great Britain – Hungary – Match Report
If you felt that Hungary was the favorite in that game, you need to have a closer look to the British squad. Their floorball scene might be rather small (is the Hungarian women’s one larger?), but they also had some players with rather decent background. Goalie Jennifer Lilburn (Red Lions Frauenfeld) played a very convincing match – and also the first score of the match was by a player, who is playing in Switzerland. The straighter, less complicated British attacks in the first minutes of the match paid out, when Katja Kendrew (Red Ants Rychenberg Winterthur) gave her team the deserved lead after twelve minutes. The Hungarian offense struggled more and more with the very solid defense on the other side, so that the second British goal, scored by Zemfira Zakojan (17th) was absolutely deserved.
Team GB marches on in the Second Period
A good way for the host team to react on trailing would have been an early goal. They did manage to get on the match report first, but Sara Nordgren was sent off for repeated offenses just after 82 seconds. The power play did not lead to a score. The third goal for Great Britain illustrated the match perfectly. After 25 minutes, Nathalie Cohen was able to run passed the whole Hungarian defense and had a successful snipe. However, after 33 minutes, Kriisztina Medica converted a nice Hungarian attack and gave back her team some spirit.
They just could keep up the momentum and were very lucky right thereafter that an undisciplined defense lead to the fourth goal for their guests. However, another Frauenfeld player, Rebecca Gmunder finally went for this one. With two minutes left in the second period, a Hungarian forward in defense lost her stick and gave Megan Geddes the opportunity to give a spot-on pass to Rebecca Gmunder, who converted easily. In the minutes before that goal, Hungary felt to have played more faithful again, but they just did not manage to show their strengths in Erd on that day.
4-1 – Great Britain broke the Hungarian Heart
Gmunder felt to have an excellent intermission. With just 47 second played in the third period, she raised the score to 5-1. Hungary’s L-UPL player, WaSa’s Petra Magyar finally underlined her talent in the 48 minute, launching a nice offensive play and giving a precise pass to Eniko Nanasi, who scored. Would there be a chance for a comeback? At least not in the mind of Gmunder, who was on fire in regards of getting the bar of sweets as the best player of her team that afternoon. Just seventeen seconds after the Hungarian close-up, she scored by a wrap-around, for which neither of the opponent players felt being prepared.
It was now simply too easy for Great Britain to score. Two minutes later, the DJ should have played Land of Confusion by Genesis, when Zakojan almost scored from the offensive face-off spot. Hungary was lucky that Zofia Zfolarska was sent to the bench for a rather arguable lying play and thus at least gave some relief on the Hungarian defense. The last entry on the match report was done by Eloise Rixon. Right before she netted the ball, there was a series of failed attempts by her team, which at least caused more or less any Hungarian player not being on their position in this situation. Rixon’s goal sealed the British 8-2 victory – quite a statement for the upcoming WFC Qualifications.
Nelli Gulyas gave Hungary a Smile in the Shoot-Out
From a perspective of the Hungarian fans, there was at least one pleasing part of that match – and this was the mandatory after-match shoot-out. The story is a quick tell: Nelli Gulyas saved all five British attempts (they played on, even after the shoot-out was already decided), while Hungary managed to convert three ones and thus won in that final discipline.
Great Britain – Hungary – Lineups
Great Britain: 71 Jennifer Lilburn, 1 Charlotte Rixon – 4 Megan Geddes, 5 Marguerite Cornu, 7 Christine Allenspach, 12 Natalie Barrionuevo, 14 Megan Sharp, 15 Agnes Rydberg, 16 Katja Kendrew, 17 Pearl George, 22 Nathalie Cohen, 23 Zemfira Zakojan, 24 Eloise Rixon, 25 Lauren Jeffries, 29 Rebecca Gmunder, 55 Kristina Zakoyan, 77 Zofia Stolarska
Hungary: 30 Nelli Gulyas, 99 Lea Ordog – 2 Eniko Nanasi, 5 Luca Orosz, 6 Kinga Anna Oravecz, 7 Laura Penzes, 8 Boglarka Somkovi, 10 Petra Magyar, 13 Anna Varga, 17 Fanni Anna Kallai, 18 Orolya Stipsicz, 23 Kristztina Medica, 25 Sara Nordgren, 27 Panka Rezneki, 28 Dora Szalai, 42 Jazmin Kajtar, 47 Lili Muzslay, 71 Orsolya Gafi, 78 Ninetta Belai, 85 Reka Hajas
Great Britain – Hungary – Gallery
In the sports gallery, there is a designated major size picture gallery with 424 pictures of this match at
Great Britain – Hungary – My View of the Match
Great Britain did an impressing match. If they can keep up that straight play, a ticket to the Czech Republic for the 2025 WFC might be possible. Estonia and Spain feel like beatable opponents if they play that disciplined. Hungary needs to improve over the following three months to beat Netherlands in their group and then – likely – run against France or Italy in the decider.
Hungarian Floorball Federation
Here are all my postings related to national teams of the Hungarian Floorball Federation:
U.K. Hotel Reviews
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