TJ Plzen LItice will meet SK Slavia Prague in the Czechia men’s final with an EHL KO16 spot on the line for the winner while Slavia’s women face HC 1972 Rakovnik for a place in the EHL Women FINAL12.
Reigning champions Litice won their two-legged final against Bohemians thanks to a late burst of goals. They trailed 3-2 after the first leg and were still 4-3 behind on aggregate going into the final quarter of the contest.
That was until Ondřej Sochor scored twice in a minute – with six minutes to go – to turn the game on its head. Eduard Gerlický made extra sure in the closing moments for a 6-4 win on aggregate.
The scorer of the first goal, Adrián Augustinič, was thrilled to get over the line: “We entered the match in an unfavourable situation.
“We were aware of our situation and that’s why we played as simply as possible to create open chances and play as much as possible in their half.
“Towards the end of the third quarter, Bohemians managed to equalise after a controversial goal. We took the lead again in the last quarter thanks to two quick goals and we managed to keep it!”
For Slavia, they went through in more comfortable fashion thanks to a 4-1 win in the first leg against HC Hostivař. It meant they always had the edge in the second leg which ended up 3-3.
“We started the second match knowing that we had a three-goal lead, and maybe that’s why we weren’t fully focused,” said Slavia’s Martin Hanus.
“We went in front three times but they always matched us with a goal with his courageous performance. Although there was no drama, it was an interesting match for the viewer.”
On the women’s side, HC 1972 Rakovnik produced an incredible fightback to reach the decider as they overcame a 4-1 first leg deficit against HC 1946 Praga.
Two goals each from Anna Vorlová and Klára Hvězdová earned Rakovnik a remarkable 4-0 win in the second leg, edging out their rivals 5-4 in total.
Their goalkeeper Nikola Grazová was thrilled, saying: “I’m very proud of the whole team, we carried the match spirit from the cup to the second semi-final and we went into the match with the understanding that we have nothing to lose and that we will fight for the promotion.
“We knew that the first match didn’t quite work out for us, but the result gave us a kick and we had the motivation to give it back to our opponents.”
For Slavia, they were far more comfortable, beating Hradec Králove 6-0 with a pair of 3-0 wins.
“From the beginning of the match, it was clear at Slávistky that they were going full force into the match. Our goal was to play without mistakes, without fear, and most of all, to enjoy it,” said Eliška Ostatnická.
The finals will take place on June 8 in Litice.
