Four Nations Tour­na­ment: Austria’s U16 lose to Switzer­land after a 5:0 lead

The Austrians started the game against the Swiss as they had finished against Germany and were 5:0 ahead after the opening 20 minutes. Paul Schuster opened the scoring (8th minute), Emil Wagner made it 2:0 for the ÖEHV selection (13th minute). Just 38 seconds later, Luca Fischer made it 3:0 (14th minute). 

With Austria’s Paul Schuster in the penalty box, Ilian Ressi made it 4:0 with a shorthanded goal just 75 seconds later (15th minute/SH1). Paul Sintschnig then made it 5:0 in the final minute before the first buzzer (20th minute).

Anyone already thinking this was the decisive moment for Head Coach Peter Schweda’s team had not reckoned with Switzerland, for whom everything suddenly clicked in the second period just as it had for Austria in the first. Just ten seconds after the restart, Liam Vaucher scored to make it 1:5 from the Swiss perspective, as they began a comeback in the middle period and pulled back goal after goal. After 40 minutes, Austria held only a one-goal lead following Alessandro Domenichelli’s goal to make it 4:5, and the game was completely open again.

Austria held their lead for a long time in the final period, but then Alessandro Domenichelli struck again, scoring the equaliser to make it 5:5 (54th minute). It was now crunch time: the game went into overtime, where Liam Vaucher scored to secure a 6:5 win for Switzerland (63th minute).

Head Coach Peter Schweda was naturally disappointed after the game following the defeat in the second prestigious clash despite the clear lead: “It is a bitter, extremely bitter overtime defeat against Switzerland. We were 5:0 ahead after the first period, and everything went right. We played simple hockey, a really good period, and took our chances up front. What worked for us in the first period then worked for Switzerland. We conceded stupid and unnecessary goals. The momentum was then completely on Switzerland’s side. In the final period, we adjusted our forecheck, which worked better. In the end, it is a shame for the boys that we gave the game away, because the team spirit is tip-top. Now we have to live with having let a 5:0 lead slip!”

Slovakia await in the final game on Saturday from 11:00. The Slovaks celebrated a 5:2 win over Switzerland, before suffering a 3:4 defeat against hosts Germany.

Four Nations Tournament Füssen (GER)

Switzerland vs. Austria 6:5 n.V. (0:5,4:0,1:0,1:0)
Fri, 23 August 2024, 19:30
Austria goalscorers: Paul Schuster (8th minute), Emil Wagner (13th minute), Luca Fischer (14th minute), Ilian Ressi (15th minute/SH1), Paul Sintschnig (20th minute)

Remaining game:

Austria vs. Slovakia
Sat, 24 August 2024, 11:00

Already played:

Germany vs. Austria 4:6 (3:0,1:1,0:5)
Thu, 22 August 2024, 16:00
Austria goalscorers: Josias Grossberger (37th minute/PP1), Emil Wagner (47th minute), Paul Sintschnig (47th minute, 56th minute), Samuel Jamnig (52th minute), Paul Schuster (60th minute)