EUROPEAN BOWL: GAME 1 – UKRAINE 42 (28) – 14 (4) NORWAY

By Phil Caplan, Date:9/7/13

Ukraine lived up to their pre-tournament favourites tag with a comfortable win against Norway in the opening match of the 2013 European Bowl. The hosts, led by four-try, quicksilver winger Oleksandr Korobov, outscored the visitors by nine tries to two in a first-ever meeting between the two countries.

Coach Gennady Veprik’s charges posted four touchdowns in the opening 15 minutes under a stiflingly hot sun to take charge. The pacy Kolobov claimed two of those in a four minute blitz as the Ukranians looked to push the ball wide at every opportunity.

Kristoffer Håkonsen’s 24th minute score gave the visitors some hope but two further home tries, Koborov completing his treble and one from Vitalii Felkov, made it 28-4 at the break; Sergii Romanko kicking only three goals from nine attempts.

Ukraine scored three more second half tries, including doubles for Mykhailo Troyon and Felkov, while the Norwegians will take heart going into their second game, at home against the Czech Republic on Saturday, after adding two more tries through Isaac Schmidt and Peter Engeland.

“We have been waiting for this game,” said UFRL president Artur Martyrosyan. “Everybody felt a great weight of responsibility for the result and we have worked as a squad for two weeks, checking the game plan and moves and testing the players. After the win over Norway we know we have to beat the Czechs in September if we are to be promoted to the European Shield in 2014.”

UKRAINE
Volodymyr Mashkin, Oleksandr Korobov, Bogdan Vepryk, Vitalii Felkov, Sergii Romanko, Anatolii Egorov, Volobymyr Lysenko, Roman Shashkov, Igor Urkin, Maksym Miroshnichenko, Urii Smolii, Mykhailo Troyan, Sergii Kravchenko. Subs: Oleksandr Kozak, Pavlo Kardakov, Artem Bespalchenko, Danyl Pozhidaev

Tries: Kravchenko (2), Korobov (5,9,35,67), Troyan (12,70), Felkov (31,57). Goals Romanko 3/9

NORWAY
Jørgen Schmidt, Magnus Sundsfjord, Matthew Davidson, Sonny Mellor, Martin Skovly, Tim Hackney, David Hunter, Kevin Båtnes, Sean Casey, Omar Baghdadi, Cameron Leslie, Josh Hornby, Isaac Schmidt. Subs: Peter Engeland, Kai Holm, Kristoffer Håkonsen, Andreas Thorsen

Tries: Hakonsen (24), I. Schmidt (52), Engeland (78). Goals: Engeland 1/1, Hackney 0/2

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