POR 1:3 USA | Portugal - USA (World Cup (men))

World Cup (men)

Cayman Islands – Armenia	6:1 (end)	\|	Portugal – USA	1:3 (end)	\|	Great Britain – Lebanon	2:1 (end)
India – Greece	3:0 (end)	\|	Bermuda – France	4:3 (3:2 after SO)	\|	Finland – Slovakia	1:3 (end)
Italy – Czech Republic	0:12 (end)

final

Portugal

1:3 (1:1, 0:0, 0:2)

USA

Friday 02.06.2017, 11:00 • World Cup (men) • Group A2

		Welcome. Game starts at 11:00 CET.
		This is the first game of the tournament for both the USA and Portugal. Both teams are competing in Group A2, which also includes the Czech Republic, Italy and Switzerland. In last night's action, the Czechs shut out Switzerland 6-0. Italy plays its first game tonight against the host Czechs.
		Starting lineups: Portugal: Cruz (Medeiros) – Aragao, Carreira, Cerqueira, B. Creador, C. Creador, R. Leal, Queiroga, Rocha – Cabral, Cabral, Camara, David, Gallant, Goncalves, M. Leal, Macbeth, Pires, Pontes, Senra USA: Rethage (Sheehan, Erb) – Bayne, Caron, Carter, Defazio, Hildreth, Liebers, Merchant, Zimmick – Black, Daugherty, Gregory, Hackett, Hickey, Housser, Kiesel, Petito, Ruiz, Senecal, Schlegel, Sullivan, Warila, Wilson.
		The teams are on the floor. Portugal is designated as the home team and is wearing dark red jerseys and shorts, green socks and white helmets. The USA is designated as the visiting team and is wearing white jerseys, navy blue shorts and socks and white helmets. The game will start shortly.
	00:01	Game started.
	00:15	Portugal to the attack early, Pires with the game's first shot on goal.
	01:07	Icing Portugal.
	01:33	Long shot from the Americans, Cruz made the save and it went straight up in the air, bounced dangerously in the crease before being cleared.
	02:18	Goal for Team USA! They kept up the pressure and CODY BLACK's first shot was blocked but he got it back and fired a low shot inside the post past Cruz. Assist: Korey Wilson.
02:18 Black (USA) - 0:1
	02:41	Penalty for Portugal (Carreira – 2 min., Tripping).
	02:57	Icing USA.
	03:29	Icing USA, as they're having trouble getting the power play going.
	03:50	The USA finally getting some pressure on the power play, forcing Cruz to make a couple saves.
	04:22	US pressure continues, Cruz is down but he makes the save and covers with :19 left in the penalty.
	04:45	Sullivan's long shot is stopped, Portugal back at full strength.
	06:03	Ball out of play in the Portuguese zone, faceoff inside.
	06:07	Quick shot off the draw, Rethage had to be sharp but he holds on.
	06:32	Offside Portugal.
	07:09	Icing Portugal.
	08:19	Play in the Portuguese zone and a clearing attempt goes high and hits the scoreboard. Play stopped and faceoff in the Portuguese zone.
	09:12	Dangerous rush down the right wing for Portugal's Camara, he very nearly snuck a shot short side but Rethage kept it out.
	09:54	Penalty for USA (Liebers – 2 min., Hooking).
	10:04	Goal for Team Portugal! It didn't take them long on the power play, as ADAM CARREIRA unloaded a one-time bullet from the point that beat Rethage through traffic stick side. Assist: Ricardo Pires.
10:04 Carreira (POR) - 1:1
	10:29	Penalty for Portugal (Carreira – 2 min., Interference).
	11:40	USA working it around the perimeter well but can't penetrate the Portuguese box, as they're getting nothing inside.
	12:29	Just as Portugal gets back to full strength, Cruz catches a long slapper and holds on. A lot of long shots on that power play but nothing dangerous.
	12:52	Long shot by Gallant, Rethage had trouble but directed it to the corner.
	13:31	Icing USA.
	14:21	US shot deflected on Cruz, he covers.
	15:00	1st period finished.
		Portugal was putting on some pressure at the end of that period and got a couple more shots. They're the underdog this game but they gave the Americans all sorts of fits in that first period. Shots on goal: Portugal 7, USA 15. 2nd period begins at 11:40 CET.
		The teams are on the floor and the second period will begin shortly.
	15:01	Start of 2nd period.
	15:24	Portugal goes right to the attack from the start of the period, but play is whistled for an attacking player in the goal crease.
	15:43	Portugal keeps the pressure up, Pires's shot stopped, ball ends up out of play.
	16:20	The Americans continue to be hemmed in their own zone. We can hear the players on the team bench down below trying to rally their team to get going.
	17:05	Carter with a long shot for the USA, pad save Cruz.
	17:36	Camara gets behind the US defence and has a great chance but is denied by Rethage.
	18:29	Americans under pressure again, a clearing attempt hits the scoreboard. That's happened twice now this game, once for each team.
18:29 Camara (POR)
	19:00	Icing USA.
	19:20	Some battling in front of the net and American Johny Ruiz appears to take a cross-check to the neck area. He falls down and has trouble getting up, but no call on the play.
	19:35	That leads to tempers flaring up and now the Americans will be shortnaded, as Jim Daugherty goes off for tripping.
	20:26	Slapper from the point deflects out of play.
	21:47	USA back at full strength and they're called for icing. Portugal put on the pressure there but unable to score.
	22:49	The Americans finally getting something going, Wilson's backhander in front is stopped and held by Cruz.
	23:51	Icing Portugal.
	24:10	Icing USA.
	24:50	US 3-on-1 rush, they work the give-and-go but Justin Cruz makes a huge pad save off a one-timer from Schlegel.
	25:40	Chance for Cabral hits Rethage in the chest.
	26:54	Penalty for USA (Hildreth – 2 min., Interference).
26:54 Schlegel (USA), Cruz (POR)
	27:28	Portuguese shoot-in attempt goes high and out of play, faceoff outside.
	28:05	Scramble in front, ball goes to the corner, the Americans clear it to relieve pressure.
	29:18	Penalty for Portugal (Rocha – 2 min., Hooking).
	29:32	US trying to get a late goal on the power play, called for an attacking player in the goal crease.
	30:00	2nd period finished.
		Portugal carried most of the play in the middle period, thanks to a few power plays, but the USA finally started getting some pressure on a late power play, which will carry into the third period for another 1:18. There were no goals in the second period and the score remains 1-1. Shots on goal in the 2nd period (and game): Portugal 7 (14), USA 5 (20). 3rd period begins at 12:17 CET.
		Teams are returning to the floor and the 3rd period will begin shortly. Remember, the USA begins the period with still 1:18 remaining in a power play.
	30:01	Start of 3rd period.
	31:23	The USA gets a couple of shots through but Portugal also clears it a couple of times. They're back at full strength now and get called for icing.
	31:41	The Americans continue to buzz, Cruz dives on a loose ball.
	32:03	One-timer from the top of the circle is right on Cruz, who hangs on.
	32:20	Icing Portugal.
	33:14	Penalty for Portugal (Cerqueira – 2 min., Kneeing).
	33:54	Pass out from the corner from Daugherty to Schlegel, save Cruz, a wild scramble but the ball stays out.
	34:18	Penalty for Portugal (Queiroga – 2 min., slashing).
	34:18	Timeout Portugal. Big moment in the game as they're under pressure, and will now be 2 men short for :55.
	34:45	Goal for Team USA! With the 2-man advantage, the Americans are patient, work it around and a shot through traffic by CODY WARILA just makes it through Cruz's pads and across the line. Assist: Jonny Ruiz.
34:45 Warila (USA) - 1:2
	35:42	Offside USA with still :36 remaining in their power play.
	36:07	Goal for Team USA! They've broken the game open with two straight power-play goals. This time it was a long-range shot from BOBBY HOUSSER that found its way past Cruz up high. Assist: Bill Sullivan.
36:07 Housser (USA) - 1:3
	37:23	Portugal suddenly finds itself needing offence. They go to the attack, a shot hits Rethage in the shoulder and goes out of play.
	37:35	Portugal continues to pressure off the faceoff, a collision and the net and we get some pushing and shoving after the whistle. Penalties will be coming.
	37:35	Coincidental penalty: Penalty for Portugal (Goncalves – 4 min., Roughing).
	37:35	Coincidental penalty: Penalty for USA (Zimmick – 4 min., Roughing).
	37:52	Penalty for USA (Kiesel – 2 min., Interference).
	38:28	Americans break up Portuguese pressure and for the third time in the game a clearing attempt goes high and hits the scoreboard. Faceoff in the USA zone with 1:23 left in the penalty.
	39:04	They get a shot through to Rethage but he has no trouble with it and holds on with :47 left in the penalty.
	40:00	Team USA back at full strength, play in the Portuguese zone.
	40:14	Now play is stopped because there's an American player down in the corner, Matt Kiesel, who just came out of the penalty box, and he's slow to get to his feet.
	40:40	Jeff Gallant with a shot in close, Rethage had to be alert.
	41:48	Penalty for USA (Carter – 2 min., High Sticking).
	42:35	Portugal pressuring on the power play, shot from the point and a scramble, ball stays out and now we get more pushing and shoving. No penalties but the faceoff will be outside.
	42:55	Bouncing ball is covered by Rethage with :52 left in the penalty.
	43:23	Ball deflects out of play in the USA zone with :24 left in the penalty, faceoff outside.
	43:49	Rethage covers a loose ball just as his team gets back to full strength.
		Game over.
		Portugal kept pressuring right to the end but they couldn't get another ball past Rethage. The Portguese definitely gave it a good effort, and were at their best in the second period when they had chances but were unable to score. That cost them in the third period when the Americans scored twice on the power play and that was the difference in this game.
		Players of the Game: POR – Justin Cruz, G USA – Cody Black, F
		The Americans are now even with the Czechs with 3 points atop Group A2. Portugal is in the same spot as Switzerland, having each lost their first games. The fifth team in the group, Italy, will finally play its first game of the tournament later today against the Czechs. Don't miss that game and everything else we have to offer from the 2017 Ball Hockey World Championships in Pardubice. (12:54:51)

Commentary by

Derek OBrien

@@Djob76

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 11. Carreira (Pires) – 3. Black (Wilson), 35. Warila (Ruiz), 37. Housser (Sullivan)

Portugal: Cruz (Medeiros) – Aragao, Carreira, Cerqueira, B. Creador, C. Creador, R. Leal, Queiroga, Rocha – Cabral, Cabral, Camara, David, Gallant, Goncalves, M. Leal, Macbeth, Pires, Pontes, Senra

USA: Rethage (Sheehan) – Bayne, Caron, Carter, Defazio, Hildreth, Liebers, Merchant, Zimmick – Black, Daugherty, Gregory, Hackett, Hickey, Housser, Kiesel, Petito, Ruiz, Senecal, Schlegel, Sullivan, Warila, Wilson

1st period
	02:18	USA	0:1	Black (Wilson)
	02:41	POR	2	Carreira, Tripping
	09:54	USA	2	Liebers, Hooking
	10:04	POR	1:1	Carreira (Pires)
	10:29	POR	2	Carreira, Interference
1st intermission
2nd period
	19:35	USA	2	Daugherty, Tripping
	26:54	USA	2	Hildreth, Interference
	29:18	POR	2	Rocha, Hooking
2nd intermission
3rd period
	33:14	POR	2	Cerqueira, Kneeing
	34:18	POR	2	Queiroga, Tripping
	34:45	USA	1:2	Warila (Ruiz)
	36:07	USA	1:3	Housser (Sullivan)
	37:35	POR	2	Goncalves, Roughing
	37:35	USA	2	Zimmick, Roughing
	37:52	USA	2	Kiesel, Interference
	41:48	USA	2	Carter, High Sticking
Final