13:11 Win for VfK Schifferstadt at KSV Ispringen in the first final
Half the road is travelled but a decision as to who will be the German Team Champion has by no means been made. The away match was won by VfK Schifferstadt at KSV Ispringen by 13:11 but who will be able to home the 26kg-heavy trophy for one year will only be decided coming Friday in Schifferstadt.
The Bertha Benz-Hall full to capacity, the excitement palpable, at last it is here, the first final of the German Wrestling League between Ispringen and Schifferstadt. The line up showed already that both team would try everything to gain the title! The first fight showed how tense this evening would be, when Ispringen’s Anatoli Buruian squared up against Lasha Talakhadze from Schifferstadt. Until half a minute before the whistle the score was 6:6 when passivity was called against Talakhadze however he used this for three actions and won 12:6 cheered on by the Pfalzer Fans who had arrived by the bus loads also adding two unplanned team points to the overall score.
Clear favorite in the second line up was Iakobi Kajaia who scored four points for the guests against Etienne Wyrich. Technical fall ended the fight after 1:41 Kajaia showing his absolute technical superiority several times.
In 66 Greco Roman Amoyan stepped onto the mat for Ispringen. He started strongly against Levani Kavjaradze and went into the lead early with 2:0 which was still the score at halftime. Second half saw the Schifferstadt fighter step up a gear, showing several great actions turning the score to 2:7! After three fights it was 8:0 for the Pfalzer.
The first win for Ispringen was in the 98 Kilo Class Freestyle. Here Yuri Belonovski beat Mamuka Kordzaia from Schifferstadt 6:2. Once again the fight was even for most of the duration and was only decided two seconds before the end when Belonovski increased the score from 4:2 to 6:2 earning Ispringen a second team point. In the last fight before break Maxim Sacultan showed a strong performance for Ispringen. He dominated Maxim Perpelita clearly and lead this key fight by 3:0 at halftime extending his lead to 4:1 to secure a win.
At Halftime the score was 4:8 for the host from Schifferstadt.
After the break Ardo Arusaar (Ispringen) and Georgi Melia (Schifferstadt) the most successful fighters of the GWL squared up in the 98 Greco class. And thus an exciting fight ensued in which Arusaar surprisingly went into the lead with 2:0. When a challenge didn’t go in his favour Melia showed nerves, was given a warning by the referee and ended up 1:4 suffering his first defeat this season.This meant Ispringen shortened the score to 6:8 and everything was wide open again.
Manukhar Tskhadaia won the next important fight for VfK Schifferstand beating Igo Besleaga for the first time this season. The 2:1 win in this tight fight meant one important point for the guests. Davit Tlashadze now had to step onto the mat for Ispringen in the 86 kilo class which is one weight class higher than what he is used to. Not surprisingly then Patrick Dublinovski was quickly ahead with 4:0 extending this lead until the break to 6:0. The second half showed initially little action until the final minute when Dublinovski attacked and at 5:45 was given technical superiority thus bringing the full four points home.
With a 13:6 lead for the host the final two fights were lining up. An unbelievable firework of actions was shown by Israil Kasumov from Ispringen against Vasyl Mikhailov in the freestyle division: surprisingly Mikhailov is leading 0:8, Kasumov shortens the gap, having his opponent on his shoulders cheered on by the spectators but unfortunately the bell rang before he could execute. The break score of 9:8 the entire second have and just 10 seconds before the final bell Kasumov was countered and lost almost sensationally 9:10. After the fight Ispringen lodged a complaint though, which was accepted by Schifferstadt. Vasyl Mickhailov had been included too late and so the fight when with 4:0 team points to Ispringen.
In a close last clash Neven Zugaj managed to shorten the score for Ispringen winning as the more active fighter deservedly against Zurabi Daunashvili 3:1.
In the end it was 13:11 for the guests. The return fights will take place the coming Friday at 20h30 at the Wilfried Dietrich Halle, Schifferstadt.