The race for a place in the Champions Cup 2027 finals intensified as the first-leg semi-finals got underway. All four hosts emerged victorious, setting up intriguing second-leg clashes next week in Czechia and Switzerland.
Nokian KrP vs Floorball Thurgau
Floorball Thurgau made an ideal start to the first leg of their Champions Cup men’s semi-final, racing into a two-goal lead inside the opening five minutes through Aaro Helin and Janis Graf. Nokian KrP responded quickly, however, with Adam Zubek pulling one back before Juuso Ahola struck twice in just over two minutes to turn the game on its head.
The Swiss side ensured the teams went into the first intermission level when Markus Sipronen found the net to make it 3-3, but the decisive moment came midway through the second period. Zubek scored his second goal of the evening from a Jonaeson assist, giving the Finnish hosts a lead they would not relinquish.
Despite a tense final period and a late penalty against Zubek, Nokian KrP held firm to take a narrow 4-3 advantage into the return leg.
Second semi-final on Wednesday 4th November at 19:30 CET in Sporthalle Tellenfeld, Amriswil, Switzerland.
Storvreta IBK vs Tatran Střešovice
A year after eliminating Tatran Střešovice at the same stage of the competition, Storvreta IBK once again gained the upper hand in the Champions Cup semi-finals. The visitors struck first through Petr Majer, assisted by former Storvreta player Filip Langer, but Hampus Nydenfeldt quickly levelled the score for the hosts in front of their home crowd in Uppsala.
Tatran regained the lead early in the second period when Milan Melis found the net, only for Storvreta to respond. Arvid Hansson equalised before Sakarias Ulriksson completed the turnaround in the end of the second period, putting the Swedish champions in front for the first time.
Tatran pushed for a late equaliser in the final period, but Otto Weidman sealed the result with an empty-net goal in the closing minutes as Storvreta secured a 4-2 victory and a two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg in Prague.
Second semi-final on Wednesday 4th November at 19:30 CET in Sportovni Centrum Repy, Prague, Czech Republic.
Thorengruppen IBK vs Zug United
Defending Champions Cup champions Thorengruppen took a significant step towards another final appearance with a strong display against Zug United in Umeå. Cajsa Alm opened the scoring in the first period before My Kippilä doubled the advantage, giving the Swedish side a comfortable lead heading into the first break.
Zug reduced the deficit through Denisa Ratajova in the second period, but Thorengruppen responded emphatically. Jonna Stenvall and Veera Kauppi restored control before late goal from Suvi Hämäläinen to put the tie firmly in the hosts’ favour.
Although Zug managed to score in the closing stages through the goal from Laila Ediz, Thorengruppen emerged with a convincing 5-2 victory and a three-goal advantage to take into the second leg as they continue their title defence.
Second semi-final on Tuesday 3rd November at 20:00 CET in Sporthalle Zug, Zug, Switzerland.
FBC Kalmarsund vs Tatran Střešovice
Competition newcomers FBC Kalmarsund continued their remarkable Champions Cup campaign with another dominant performance, maintaining their perfect defensive record against Tatran Střešovice. Dominika Buczek opened the scoring early in the first period before Karolina Klubalová doubled the lead, with Ellen Bäckstedt assisting both goals.
Kalmarsund remained firmly in control throughout the match. Matilda Sjödin added a third before an own goal made it 4-0. Bäckstedt then added a fifth before setting up Buczek’s second goal of the evening into an empty net to complete the scoring.
The Swedish side secured a commanding 6-0 victory and have yet to concede a goal in the competition. Through three matches, the Champions Cup debutants have amassed an impressive goal difference of 30-0, putting one foot in the final ahead of the return leg.
Second semi-final on Wednesday 4th November at 16:30 CET in Sportovni Centrum Repy, Prague, Czech Republic.
