Dynamo Moscow Defeats Edsbyns for ExTe Cup

LJUSDAL, Sweden -- Dynamo Moscow defended their ExTe World Cup title by defeating Swedish side Edsbyns IF 5-0 in the final. Rinat Shamsutov scored a hat trick in the victory, while Ivan Maximov and Maxim Chernykh also added goals.

Dynamo had to defeat rivals Zorky Krasnogorsk to reach the final, besting them 4-3. Dynamo jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to goals from their big four scorers - Sergei Lomanov, Maximov, Yevgeny Ivanushkin, and Sergei Obukhov. Zorky rallied in the final 15 minutes, as Yury Loginoy's goal was bookended by a pair from the tournament's leading goal scorer, Sami Laakkonen.

In the "third-prize match," which, strangely, involved the two worst teams in the tournament, Norway's Stabaek Bandy defeated Finnish side Tornea PV 4-3.

Dynamo, Zorky to Meet in ExTe Cup Semifinals

LJUSDAL, Sweden -- Russian sides have been dominant at the ExTe World Cup of Bandy, as three of the four teams that will meet in the semifinals are from the Russian League. Five of the six Russian clubs in the tournament advanced to the quarterfinals.

The biggest match-up of the semifinals will likely be between defending champions Dynamo Moscow and perennial powerhouse Zorky Krasnogorsk. Sweden's lone hope to recapture the cup lies with Edsbyns, who will take on Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk for a spot in Sunday's final.

While Zorky enters the semifinals with a perfect 4-0 record, Dynamo stumbled in the qualifying round, playing Vasteras SK to a 2-2 draw, but they still managed to win their group.

The only Russian squad left out of the elimination round was AMNGR-Murman Murmansk, who finished the tournament 1-2. They did however manage a victory over tournament hosts Ljusdal BK 6-3.

Meanwhile at the Entos Cup in Lidkoping, parity has been king as no team has been able to assert themselves thus far in the tournament, though the hometown team has been best at 1-0-1 thus far.

Scores:

ExTe World Cup
Quarterfinals

Zorky Krasnogorsk 5, Vasteras SK 3
Dynamo Moscow 9, Vodnik Arkahngelsk 0
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk 1, Rodina Kirov 0
Edsbyns IF 2, Broberg 1

Semifinals

Zorky Krasnogorsk vs. Dynamo Moscow
Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk vs. Brodberg

Entos Cup

Villa Lidköping 11, IFK Vänersborg 6
Gripen Trollhättan 6, BolticGöta 2
IFK Vänersborg 5, Gripen Trollhättan 4
BolticGöta 5, Villa Lidköping 5

ExTe World Cup Starts Thursday in Ljusdal, Sweden

BOULDER, Colorado -- The ExTe World Cup, the biggest international club competition of the year, starts on Thursday, October 25th in the Swedish city of Ljusdal and will feature six teams from the Russian Bandy League.

The four-day tournament includes a 20-team field divided into five qualifying groups. Of the remaining teams, 10 hail from Sweden, and two each from Finland and Norway. Defending champion Dynamo Moscow is perhaps the favorite to win the tournament, and they will be grouped with Swedish sides Bollnas GIF and Vasteras SK. Other Russian clubs competing are Uralsky Trubnik Pervouralsk, Zorky Krasnogorsk, Vodnik Arkhangelsk, Rodina Kirov and AMNGR-Murman Murmansk.

Formerly know as simply the Bandy World Cup, the tournament is one of the longest-running club competitions, beginning as the DAF Cup in 1974. Ljusdal, a town of about 7,500 people, is located about 220 miles north of Stockholm.

Weather conditions in Ljusdal look to be somewhat warm - between 3C and 7C - but it should stay cool enough to keep the outdoor rink frozen throughout the tournament. Uncooperative weather in the past has forced organizers to move games to before sunrise so ice surface would remain frozen. Project manager for the event Per-Arne Weglin has said that the city would like to build an indoor facility to host the tournament. Several representatives from Ljusdal will soon be traveling to Russia to look at rinks similar to the one that they would like to build for themselves.

For complete schedules, results and information about the ExTe World Cup, click here.

Also this week in Sweden, the Entos Cup will be held in Lidkoping. The tournament is an annual four-team club competition between teams in Sweden's top league. This year's competitors are Villa Lidkoping BK, Boltic Gota, IFK Vanersborg and Gripen Trollhattan BK. Although it is only in Swedish, tournament information can be found here.

Photo courtesy of www.zorky.ru.