The players of the Czech Republic have a phrase for it, Helsinki Syndrome. A 3-2 penalty shoot-out defeat by the extrovert Czechs after a 2-2 draw in the European Junior Nations Cup in Belfast yesterday was Ireland's sixth consecutive reverse when the dreaded lottery had been used to determine the outcome.
The Czechs now face England today for the one remaining spot in Division A of the bi-annual tournament. Nothing more than pride will be at stake as Ireland tackle Belarus, with top-flight status now beyond reach.
With only 18 minutes gone yesterday, the Czechs had opened their account with a brace of goals, Katerina Cervena beating Angela Platt with a deft deflection and Jana Mrzenova adding a second from a set piece.
After Lorraine Furney had struck the post, Johanna Hyland got the faintest of touches to a Jill Orbinson penalty corner strike seconds before the half-time hooter. Game on.
Seven minutes after the re-start, Orbinson swept in a Caitriona Carey cross from the edge of the circle and anything was possible. However, the Czechs held firm in the face of a brief spell of Irish pressure to force extra time when they again seized the initiative.
Then, in the shoot-out, Martina Horova saved superbly from Pamela Magill and Carey before Mrzova converted the crucial stroke.
Horova had been the heroine in the Finnish capital while playing for the senior team against Ireland last month. Hence, the Helsinki Syndrome.
Classification matches: 5th-8th places (first phrase) - Ireland 2, Czech Republic 2 (Czech Rep won 3-2 on penalty strokes); England 1 Belarus 1 (England won 4-2 on strokes); semi-finals: Germany 2, Ukraine 1; Netherlands 4, Spain 0. TODAY: 7th-8th place: Ireland v Belarus (8 a.m.); 5th-6th: England v Czech Republic (10.30); 3rd-4th: Spain v Ukraine (1.0); final: Germany v Netherlands (3.30).
