Bloemendaal, Rotterdam, Léopold and Surbiton join the EHL Finals in 2025
The EHL KO16 round at Surbiton brought us some great hockey once more.
The EHL KO16 in Surbiton delivered an exciting spectacle of European club hockey, showcasing exhilarating goals, nail-biting finishes, and impressive displays of skill.
Bloemendaal's Dominant Run to the FINAL8
Dutch giants Bloemendaal stormed into the FINAL8 with two convincing victories. In their first match, they edged out Real Club de Polo 2-1. Floris Wortelboer opened the scoring for Bloemendaal, capitalizing on a penalty corner opportunity in the fourth minute. Their lead was doubled when Teun Beins unleashed a powerful shot past Polo's defense. Despite Benedikt Schwarthaupt pulling a goal back for Polo in the second half, Bloemendaal held on for a hard-fought victory.
Bloemendaal's second match saw them face Mannheimer HC, a clash that promised to be a tighter affair. The first half remained goalless, with both teams creating chances but unable to convert. However, Bloemendaal shifted gears in the second half, showcasing their dominance. Nathan Ephraums broke the deadlock 90 seconds into the second half, lifting a loose ball into the net. Dennis Warmerdam extended their lead, converting a penalty corner routine. Warmerdam sealed the 3-0 victory with a last-minute goal, capitalizing on a counter-attack opportunity.
Léopold's Offensive Masterclass
Belgian club Léopold secured their place in the FINAL8 with two impressive victories fueled by Tom Boon's exceptional scoring prowess. In their opening game, they overcame Ireland's Banbridge 4-2 in a match characterized by penalty corner battles. Boon led the charge, scoring all four goals for Léo, including a crucial late goal to seal the win.
Their next opponents, Lille, faced a similar fate, succumbing to another Boon-inspired performance. He continued his goal-scoring spree, netting two more goals as Léopold secured a comfortable 4-0 win. Nelson Onana and Arthur Verdussen added their names to the scoresheet, contributing to Lille's demise. Boon's six goals across the two games propelled him to third on the EHL's all-time top scorer list, trailing only Jeroen Hertzberger and Marco Miltkau.
Surbiton: Hometown Heroes Secure a FINAL8 Berth
Surbiton, the hometown favorites, thrilled their supporters with a dramatic journey to the FINAL8. Their campaign began with a 4-2 comeback victory against Waterloo Ducks. Despite trailing 1-0 at half-time, Surbiton rallied in the second half, with Struan Walker, Luke Taylor (2 goals), and James Gall scoring crucial goals to secure the win.
Their next challenge came in the form of a local derby against Wimbledon, guaranteeing two English teams in the last eight for the first time since 2013. The match lived up to its billing, with Surbiton emerging victorious after a tense 3-2 battle. Struan Walker starred for Surbiton, scoring two goals, including a stunning solo effort in the second quarter. Despite a late surge from Wimbledon, Surbiton held on to book their ticket to the FINAL8.
HC Rotterdam: A Tale of Two Halves
HC Rotterdam, spearheaded by the prolific Jeroen Hertzberger, secured their FINAL8 spot with contrasting victories. In their opening match, they faced little resistance from TJ Plzeň-Litice, cruising to a resounding 9-0 victory. Hertzberger was the star of the show, scoring six goals to extend his lead as the EHL's all-time leading goal scorer.
Their encounter against Hamburger Polo Club proved far more dramatic. Trailing 3-1 with time running out, Rotterdam staged a remarkable comeback, equalizing with just 2.3 seconds remaining through a Hertzberger goal. The match went to a shootout, where Hertzberger scored twice to help Rotterdam prevail 4-3 and secure their place in the FINAL8.
The Finalists: A Look Ahead to the FINAL8
These four teams, Bloemendaal, Léopold, Surbiton, and Rotterdam, will join four other qualifiers in the FINAL8. The tournament promises to be a thrilling climax to the EHL season, with each team vying for the coveted European crown. With their impressive performances in Surbiton, these four teams have staked their claim as serious contenders for the title. The FINAL8 is sure to be a spectacle of world-class hockey.
Timeline
October 3, 2024
Match 1: Lille MHC defeats Grasshopper Club Zurich in a shootout (4-3 after a 1-1 tie) to reach the KO8 for the first time.
Oliver Habertühr (GCZ) scores first.
Viktor Lockwood (Lille) ties the game.
Malo Martinache scores the winning shootout goal for Lille.
Match 2: Mannheimer HC beats AHTC Wien 8-0 to advance to the KO8.
Gonzalo Peillat (MHC) scores four goals (two in each half).
Other goals by: Andreas Rafi, Raphael Hartkopf, Matteo Poljaric, and Ben Hasbach.
Match 3: Royal Léopold defeats Banbridge 4-2 in a high-scoring penalty corner battle.
Tom Boon (Léo) scores four goals.
Philip Brown (Banbridge) scores two goals.
Match 4: Bloemendaal edges out Real Club de Polo 2-1 to reach the KO8.
Floris Wortelboer and Teun Beins score for Bloemendaal in the first quarter.
Benedikt Schwarthaupt pulls one back for Polo in the second half.
October 4, 2024
Match 5: Bloemendaal defeats Mannheimer HC 3-0 to advance to the FINAL8.
Nathan Ephraums, Dennis Warmerdam (2) score for Bloemendaal.
Match 6: Royal Léopold overpowers Lille 4-0 to reach the FINAL8.
Tom Boon scores two more goals, bringing his tournament total to six.
Nelson Onana and Arthur Verdussen each score one.
Match 7: Banbridge wins 3-0 against Grasshopper Club Zurich in the ranking match.
Johnny McKee scores two goals in the first half.
Philip Brown adds a third goal.
October 5, 2024
Match 8: Hamburger Polo Club dominates SV Arminen in an 11-1 victory.
Constantin Staib, Hugo Inglis, and Paul Smith each score two goals.
Other goals from: Kane Russell (2), Tom Craig, Jan-Hendrik Bartels, and Tim Brand.
Florian Steyrer scores the lone goal for Arminen.
Match 9: HC Rotterdam beats TJ Plzeň-Litice 9-0 with Jeroen Hertzberger extending his EHL goal-scoring record.
Jeroen Hertzberger scores six goals, bringing his career total to 46.
Matthijs van der Wielen, Pepijn van der Heijden, and Olivier Hortensius score the remaining goals.
Match 10: Wimbledon secures a 3-1 victory over Western Wildcats to reach the KO8.
Samuel Hooper scores two penalty corner goals.
Euan Gilmour scores the opening goal.
Jamie Golden scores the lone goal for Western.
Match 11: Surbiton stages a second-half comeback to defeat Waterloo Ducks 4-2 and set up a KO8 clash against Wimbledon.
Luke Taylor scores two goals, including a penalty corner and a penalty stroke.
Struan Walker and James Gall score the other goals for Surbiton.
William Ghislain and Tomi Domene score for Waterloo.
October 6, 2024
Match 12: SV Arminen defeats TJ Plzeň-Litice 1-0 thanks to a late Florian Steyrer penalty corner goal.
Match 13: HC Rotterdam completes a stunning comeback against Hamburger Polo Club.
Tied 3-3 at full-time, Rotterdam wins 4-3 in a sudden-death shootout.
Jeroen Hertzberger scores the tying goal in the final seconds and two goals in the shootout.
Derk Meijer makes the game-winning save in sudden death.
Match 14: Surbiton defeats Wimbledon 3-2 in a thrilling local derby to reach the FINAL8.
Struan Walker scores two goals, including a penalty corner.
Luke Taylor scores the opening goal for Surbiton.
Samuel Hooper and Fred Newbold score for Wimbledon.
Match 15: Waterloo Ducks defeat Western Wildcats 2-1 to claim ranking points for Belgium.
Tomi Domene scores the winning goal from a penalty corner.
Charlie Langendries scores the opener for Waterloo.
Nikki Homfrey scores for Western Wildcats.
