The final day of Budapest 2016 is halfway through. Norway's women claimed bronze with a penalty shot victory against Hungary while Qatar men did the same to the host nation in the male competition.
Women's Competition
3/4 (Bronze) Placement Match – Hungary vs Norway 1-2 (16:12, 17:20, 6:8)
Norway broke Hungarian hearts for the first time in the final match day of Budapest 2016 as they won on penalty shots against host nation Hungary.
The Scandinavian side went 10:4 up in the first period but Hungary came back and a penalty and then strike with 6 minutes on the clock brought them level at 10:10 to rapturous applause in the rain.
Norway took the lead again at 13:10 and after a team time out and then Martie Smistad got a single strike to put Hungary out at two scores to draw level again.
After taking the first period 16:12, Norway then took their foot off of the pedal, missing chances and 20:17, the home side were in control. However, with just 31 seconds of the half remaining, Hungary could not close the second 10 minutes down as All Star Team goalkeeper Regina Gulbrandsen saved.
Norway coach Eskil Andreassen took a time out but it did not have an effect and Hungary took the games to penalty shots.
The first five penalties were perfect but Fanni Freibesz tried a lob shot in Hungary's third shot but missed. Advantage was to Norway and with World Games qualification on the line tournament top scorer Martine Welfer was smothered by Noemi Virag.
It was all even again, but in a cruel turn of luck, as Kitti Groz, daughter of Hungary coach Janos Groz, went to shoot, she was closed down by Norway's Elisabeth Hammerstad and in the panic, the ball slipped from her hand and fell to the floor, just like Hungary's dreams of qualifying for Poland 2017 and standing on the podium.
Men's Competition
3/4 (Bronze) Placement Match – Hungary vs Qatar 1-2 (15:14, 14:20, 6:7)
Hungary lost their second semi-final of the final day of Budapest 2016, again on penalty shots in the rain.
A tight first period saw neither team take a commanding lead as the deadly Anis Zouaoui scored eight points for Qatar and John Andras nine for Hungary – his last of which was enough to take the first period.
The second period saw Hungary start of well, going 4:0 thanks to Norbert Gyene and Andras, but Qatar came back strong and scored the next five goals to go 14:4 up and the period was over thanks to Ahmed Abdelhak who scored eight points in that run.
Again Hungary went to penalty shots but Bence Pritzel was smothered by the All Star Team goalkeeper Mohsin Yafai. Mahmoud Osman, in his last game before retiring then threw full-length past Peter Hajdu to make it 4:2 and again with Qatar’s next shot to make it 6:4.
Hungary then tried that tactic but Laszlo Nahaj shot wide against a backtracking Anis Zouaoui. Qatar then had the chance to win, but this time Hajdu did enough to put off Osman whose full-length shot hit the bottom of the left post and ran across the sand and out.
However, Hungary still needed to score and hope Qatar missed. Mate Gabori gave the home fans hope, scoring past Yafai to make it 6:6, but Osman and Yafai combined for a single point with the last shot to take the bronze back to Asia.