1st Day - Thursday, 27th of July
Wiser than last year, Downtown Tigers headed for the scene a couple of days before the tournament began. On Thursday morning 6.30 am the team took off at Tampere-Pirkkala airport towards Amsterdam. The idea was to enjoy a full weekend at the court, as well as outside it.
Our team arrived in the summery Amsterdam at around 11 am after which we took a train from Schiphol airport to the city centre. First we ate delicious pizza and afterwards our reinforcement Sami Nyman from the international team of Finland went shopping with his girlfriend Ansku. Most of the group participated in “a tactics huddle” at L. J. Harri restaurant, which took, fairly easily, 7 hours on a terrace.
After this, the group was gathered together and a welcome dinner was served in an Indonesian restaurant on Rembrandt Square.
2nd day - Friday, 28th of July
The Great Waterland Bicycle Tour: The manager planned a bicycle tour towards the northern parts of Amsterdam. During the five-hour-bicycle trip, the team experienced many such things that lifted the team spirit into the clouds. Numerous experiences richer the team was prepared for the weekend.
3rd day - Saturday, 28th of July
The morning started early and two taxis headed for Sporthall Zuid. Downtown Tigers' first opponent was the Czech FBC Beerboys Libina. After a steady first round, DTT had the match in the second round, winning by 5-1. The second line Vehkakoski-Sipilä-Ylisiurunen immediately found a common tune and won their share hands down by 3-0.
In the second game DTT faced the Swiss UHC Basel United, known to be the toughest opponent in the first series. The match was tight one, indeed and Harri Vähäkuopus steered a winning goal from a corner strike by Rami Rajakallio only two and a half minutes before the match drew to an end. As Sami Nyman struck an empty goal in the last minute, the final result for DTT was 3-1.
The third game of the day was a parade of goals and UC Agents, the second team of the organising club, was no match for DTT. The match ended in 12–1, and the most efficient member of the team was Nyman, who had began scoring in the previous game. DTT had won their block and secured their place in the sequel. They enjoyed their last game vs. the Swiss UHC Kreuzlingen and won by 9-2. The first line gradually found a common tune and scored seven goals. Harri Vähäkuopus gained 3+4 points in the match and became the man of the match.
After a clean victory in the first series, it was time to have a relaxing night at town and enjoy an Argentinean steak with some red wine.
4th day - Sunday, 30th of July
In the semi-finals the tigers met the hosting team Floorball Agents. DTT was well prepared and awake from the very start of the match and scored three times during the first five minutes. The reinforcements recruited by the manager played a great role during that morning, for Nyman scored four times and Sorvali’s game was flawless.
In the semi-finals DTT was once again faced with FBC Beerboys Libina, the team they had already met in the first game in the tournament. DTT began faster than lightning as Rami Rajakallio won the opening and the ball was passed via Marko Salmela and Sami Nyman to Harri Vähäkuopus who scored the opening goal in ten seconds. The huge crowd was bewildered by DTT’s fast start and the audience was won over before the match had even started. DTT got the lead by 3-0, after which began the struggle of goal-making places. This almost brought its own punishment, for Beerboys narrowed the gap to 4-2. The match was decided in 24.36, as Jari Sorvali saved Jan Trefil’s, the power player of Beerboys, penalty shot. DTT mastered penalty killing followed by this and finally the match ended in numbers 6-2.
In the final DTT was faced with the Czech TJ Sokol Jaromer, a team also without losses. It was clear from the very first minute that this would become the toughest match of the tournament. The opening goal was scored in the middle of the first period by Jaromer after DTT's counterattack and Sami Nyman's fine attempt to score for DTT. Nevertheless, DTT got an excellent chance to even the score in the end of the first period because it gained itself power play by two men. After only 13 seconds of penalty, Harri Vähäkuopus put the score even in 13.32. The match was resolved during the second period as Sami Nyman and Jani Ylisiurunen scored 3-1 within seven seconds. After that, DTT ruled the match all through and in the third period Sami Nyman scored two more freeshot goals through the passes by Rami Rajakallio, making the final numbers 5-1. As the buzz went off, DTT had well conquered the tournament of Amsterdam by winning all their seven games by a 47-8 difference in goals!
The secret behind the victorious Downtown Tigers was a brilliant team spirit and an excellent casting. The first line Vähäkuopus-Rajakallio-Nyman focused on attacks and the second line Vehkakoski-Sipilä-Ylisiurunen on defense. In fact, the second line only let one goal pass and, correspondingly, scored many important goals during the whole tournament. Of the defenders, Marko Salmela's task was to open the game, whereas Mikko Kurikka and Antti Hannunen concentrated on securing their own goal. The entity was completed by a brilliant goal keeper Jari Sorvali, who was self-confidence itself on his goal. Sorvali was chosen the best goal keeper in the tournament by the directorate, and Harri Vähäkuopus, the winner in points, deserved the prize for the best player.
It was time to celebrate the tournament victory and dine in a floating Chinese restaurant called Sea Palace...
5th day - Monday, 31st of July
On Monday, there was still some time for shopping and getting to know the city. On afternoon we headed for the airport and got off towards Tampere. On Tampere-Pirkkala airport the airplane horns roared as the champions arrived home...
Summa Summarum
The tournament in Amsterdam was a great experience altogether. Seldom do the players of sub-level series get a chance to team-up with a member of the national team and see that he feels passionate about it. Next year, we will conquer the world once more, and then shall also DTT ladies see daylight for the first time. These pictures, this atmosphere, -Manager
P.S. A part of the team took part in Classic's season opening on Wednesday 3.8.2006, and this time the goal-cannon of Amsterdam, Sami Nyman, performed as a drummer. Punatulkut feats Sami Nyman were excellent and the players of DTT enjoyed the performance with beverages.
