3:1 over Ukraine

ÖHV men secure European Championship ticket for 2025 and 2027

- Austria's men's national field hockey team will be in the elite field of the eight top continental teams at next year's European Championships in Mönchengladbach. The ÖHV squad booked their ticket on Sunday at the qualifying tournament in Vienna's Waldstadion with a 3:1 (3:0) victory over Ukraine in the final. Only the final winners of two tournaments advance. In Glasgow, Austria's women's team missed out on this goal, a 2:3 (1:0) defeat against the Czech Republic meant fourth place and the B European Championship.

The red-white-red men had warmed up with a 24-0 win over Hungary on Thursday and also defeated Portugal 3-1 in the semifinals on Saturday. Fülöp Losonci, who scored a total of nine goals in these two games, made it 3-0 against the Ukrainians (17'), while Franz Lindengrün (3') and Peter Kaltenböck (5') scored the first two goals in another defensively strong performance. The visitors only scored a consolation goal in the 54th minute. The European Championship ticket is also one for 2027, as more teams will take part in the title fight in three years' time.

"A textbook counter-attack," said Lindengrün on ORF, describing his goal after an ideal pass from Leon Thörnblom. "That was particularly important, it gave us a good push." The aim had been to press hard against the Ukrainians, who were good on the counter-attack. Kaltenböck saw good video analysis in the match preparation as a key to success. "The first half was perfect." Xaver Hasun announced the end of his field hockey career after the game. He is confident for his former teammates: "Hockey in Austria is on a very, very good path."