SF2: Rot-Weiss Koln – Real Club de Polo

Match report

FINAL4: Real Club de Polo 1 Rot Weiss Koln 3
Rot Weiss Koln’s penalty corner prowess saw them convert three from four set pieces to advance to the EHL GRAND FINAL to face Waterloo Ducks.

Incredibly, it was the first time in six games that an EHL game in this competition was not decided by a shoot-out as Rot-Weiss keep up their hopes of lifting the Alain Danet Trophy for the second time.

Polo won the first corner of the tie four minutes in but Victor Aly was equal to the task. At the far end, Marco Miltkau fired his first chance into the side-netting at the near post following a brilliant piece of control from a bouncing ball.

Before the end of the first quarter, the German club had their first corner chance and Christopher Ruhr took on the duties and he provided a perfect shot into the top of the goal with a short-drag effort that went in at serious pace.

Polo equalised in the 22nd minute when Guillermo Fortuno weaved an opening and crashed the ball into the circle. Lucas Baron missed the first chance but the ball bounced back up off Aly’s pads straight to him and he volleyed in for 1-1.

And so it remained into the second half, mainly due to a brilliant Tom Grambusch tackle on David Alegre, leaving the game perfectly poised.

Rot-Weiss returned to the lead two minutes into the second half when a Timur Oruz shot deflected off a foot onto the post. From the ensuing corner, Tom Grambusch scored his 10th EHL goal from the top.

Grambusch’s next drag was charged down well from their next corner but he added another in the 40th minute which ultimately put them out of range.

Polo battled all the way to the end with Roc Oliva forcing a great save from Aly and there were a number of lively chances from clever corner moves which caused plenty of panic.

But Rot-Weiss – with Tom Grambusch in particular along wit Kai Aichinger – were not going to be broken down and they marched on to their second EHL final.