The Hockey Association of Malta is hosting the European Challenge II tournament for nations at its complex at Corradino beween 5 and 10 September.

Four nations are taking part. They are Denmark, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, apart, of course, from Malta. Turkey also had to take part, but they dropped out at the last moment.

It is the first time that the association is hosting such an international level event after Malta had hosted, in the past few years, a Challenge tournament for clubs on two occasions, the last one in May this year.

Leandro Negre, president of the European Hockey Federation, said it gives him great pleasure that Malta is one of the venues selected for such tournaments. There are four separate tournaments being staged and over 30 nations are taking part. The first one was held in Leipzig, Germany. The Malta event will be the second and it will be followed by others in Roma and Vinnitsa next week.

Hockey Association of Malta president Chris Busuttil Leaver said he was pleased that the European Federation had accepted Malta’s bid to stage one of the tournaments. “We hope it will be as successful as the club tournaments have been in the past two years. It is a pity that Turkey dropped out at the last minute. It would have been a much better tournament with five participants,” he said.

Programme

Monday 5 September: 3pm Denmark-Azerbaijan; 5.30pm Malta-Cyprus.

Tuesday 6 September: 3pm Cyprus-Denmark; 5.30pm Malta-Azerbaijan.

Wednesday 7 September: 3pm Azerbaijan-Cyprus; 5.30pm Malta-Denmark.

Thrusday 8 September is a rest day.

Friday 9 September: 1pm Semi-final A – First in Group-Fourth in Group; 3.30pm Semi-final B Second in Group-Third in Group.

Saturday 10 September: 1pm 3/4place match Loser A-Loser B; 3.30pm Final Winner A-Winner B.

The presentation will be held after the final, at round 5pm.