Belarus will meet Germany in the women's final and the home team will face Switzerland in the men's decider at the World Games 2005 after the completion of the round robin phase in Duisburg.
While Germany's participation in both finals was expected, the method of each team's arrival in the gold medal matches was vastly different, with the men cruising through the round robin phase and the women struggling before eventually prevailing.
Each team played two matches on a busy day two and Belarus gave the women's competition a jolt when they outplayed Germany 10-6 in the afternoon round to move to the top of the points table. They confirmed their status in the evening round with a conformable 5-2 win over Czech Republic.
Belarus got off to a good start against Germany and led 5-2 at half time after scoring twice in the final minute of the first half - both penalty corner goals to Iryna Halavinova ÔÇô to open their match-winning lead.
Belarus won with a solid all-around team performance. Halavinova scored three goals and Marina Rusina, Yulia Laptsevich and Volha Shyntar recorded doubles, while goalkeeping duo Nadzeya Uladzimirava and Tatsiana Fedchanka were superb in front of the net to stop an attempted second half German comeback.
Germany was never able to get control of the match as Belarus dictated play and forced the home team to chase from the opening whistle.
The home team had to wait until late in the day to complete their expected qualification for the final, with a 12-1 disposal of Lithuania earning them a rematch with their conquerors in Sunday's final. Germany were far too strong for Lithuania, with Anneke Boehmert netting a tournament high six goals.
Lithuania defeated Czech Republic 4-1 in the first match of the day and will meet again tomorrow in the bronze medal playoff.
Germany and Switzerland confirmed their positions in the men's final before their clash in the last match of day two. Both teams secured their second straight win with victories over Czech Republic and Canada respectively in the afternoon matches to ensure their path to the final despite having one match remaining to finish the round robin phase.
Switzerland scored three goals in each half on the way to a 6-0 win against Canada, with Uli Bergmann the only multiple scorer with two.
Germany also scored six goals in their first match on Saturday, but eventually prevailed 6-3 over Czech Republic. The reigning indoor world cup holders struggled to overcome their opponents in the first half, with the visitors twice taking the lead inside the first 10 minutes.
However Germany gradually took control before the break with Christoph Bechmann completing his hat trick in the final minute before the break to give his team the lead for remainder of the match.
The evening clash between Germany and Switzerland was little more than a dress rehearsal for Sunday, and as expected, the home team proved too strong in a 13-2 triumph ÔÇô an ominous warning for the final.
In the other evening men's match, Czech Republic thrashed Canada 14-2. The teams will also meet again on Sunday at 12:20 local time to decide the bronze medallists.
Click here for the full match schedule.
Women
Lithuania 4 defeated Czech Republic 1
Goals: LTU - Dovile Jakaite PC 8m, Rimante Andrulyte FG 11m, Evelina Raginskaite FG 29m, Aurelija Griskute FG 40m; CZE ÔÇô Klara Poloprutska FG 17m
Belarus 10 defeated Germany 6
Goals: BLR ÔÇô Marina Rusina FG 3m FG 30m, Yulia Laptsevich FG 11m FG 27m, Volha Shyntar PS 14m FG 5m, Iryna Halavinova PC 20m PC 20m PC 40m, Iryna Tymul PS 37m; GER ÔÇô Franziska Gude FG 5m FG 40m, Denise Klecker PC 15m, Anneke Boehmert FG 21m PS 33m, Kerstin Holm PC 26m
Belarus 5 defeated Czech Republic 2
Goals: BLR - Volha Shyntar PC 2m, Marina Rusina FG 5m FG 35m, Yulia Laptsevich FG 9m FG 23m; CZE ÔÇô Eva Stankova PC 34m, Karolina Mikesova FG 40m
Germany 12 defeated Lithuania 1
Goals: GER - Anneke Boehmert PC 6m PC 6m PC 9m FG 9m PC 24m FG 31m, Kerstin Holm PC 8m, Lisa Kuefer FG 11m FG 17m, Cornelia Reiter FG 12m FG 33m, Franziska Gude FG 26m; LTU ÔÇô Dovile Jakaite PS 35m
Men
Switzerland 6 defeated Canada 0
Goals: SUI ÔÇô Uli Bergmann PC 3m PC 33m, Thomas Gahwailer FG 4m, Philip Keller FG 12m, Michael Kloter FG 32m, Fabian Wullschleger PC 36m
Germany 6 defeated Czech Republic 3
Goals: GER ÔÇô Christoph Bechmann FG 5m PC 10m FG 20m, Hendrik Lange FG 11m FG 33m, Philipp Sunkel FG 23m; CZE ÔÇô Lukas Lahoda FG 3m, Stepan Bernatek PS 6m PC 14m
Czech Republic 14 defeated Canada 2
Goals: CZE ÔÇô Stepan Bernatek FG 1m, Richard Kotrc FG 2m FG 4m, Filip Jaros FG 5m FG 12m FG 31m, Tomas Prochazka PC 6m PC 34m PC 38m, Ondrej Vudmaska PC 8m, Lukas Lohoda PC 10m FG 30m FG 38m, Martin Toms FG 39m; CAN ÔÇô David D'Almeida PC 20m, Jonathan Roberts FG 36m
Germany 13 defeated Switzerland 2
Goals: GER - Philipp Sunkel PC 1m FG 13m, Oliver Domke FG 3m FG 12m, Michael Green FG 15m, Bjoern Emmerling PC 23m, Hendrik Lange FG 27m FG 38m FG 39m, Christoph Bechmann FG 28m PS 37m, Christian Mayerhoefer PC 30m PC 31m; SUI - Uli Bergmann FG 25m, Tobias Bergmann FG 39m
