Portugal loses to Ireland in the ice hockey Development Cup final – Winter Sports

Irish won 5-1

The Portuguese ice hockey team lost this Saturday to Ireland (5-1) in the final of the Development Cup, a tournament organized by the sport’s international federation, in Bratislava, Slovakia, leaving as runner-up in the competition for the second time.

In the decisive match, the Irish team came out strong in each period, always scoring in the first 10 minutes of each period, not allowing the national team to re-enter the game despite searching for a goal that would allow them to dream of another outcome.

That goal ended up coming towards the end, but it was just a goal of honor that was answered less than a minute later with the Irish making the final score 5-1.

Portugal won four of the five matches they played in the group stage, having qualified in second place, which guaranteed them a place in the title decider with the group winner, the Republic of Ireland, the only team that beat, in the initial stage, the national team.

With this result, Portugal equals the best record ever in the Development Cup, achieved in 2018, when they also lost in the last duel, against North Macedonia, having been, as now, in the middle of the podium.

The four previous editions were won by Morocco (2017), North Macedonia (2018), Colombia (2022) and Liechtenstein (2023).

The Development Cup is a global competition contested by countries that do not have national ice hockey leagues and are just starting out in the sport.

By Lusa