FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPhoto Credit: Di Miller Photography
July 19, 2018
NETANYA, ISRAEL – The two lacrosse heavyweights, USA and Canada, are set to collide again at the 2018 FIL Men’s World Championship gold-medal game. Both teams easily won their semifinal games at Wingate Sport Institute Thursday night. The United States, who was No. 1 in the Blue division, defeated Australia, 14-5, and reigning World Champions Canada won over the Iroquois Nationals, 15-4.
Friday features 22 placement games from 3rdto 46that Wingate Sports Institute, starting at 10:30 a.m., bringing close to 169 games in 11 days. The FIL Men’s World Championship title game is slated for Netanya Stadium at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The first quarter of the United States and Australia game was close as both teams played to a 2-2 tie. Rob Pannell of the United States scored 41 seconds into the second quarter, giving the U.S. a 3-2 lead. This goal sparked a 12-3 run, ultimately defeating Australia, 14-5. The United States spread the scoring opportunities to eight players. Marcus Holman closed out the U.S. night with the last three of four goals.
“This is our goal to get back to the championship game, and the paths were a little bit different,” said Holman. “It obviously comes down to U.S. and Canada like people figures. We are excited. I don’t think tonight was our best game of the tournament, but I think it’s good as we have our best game yet to play which we hope is Saturday.”The United States has reached the championship game since the FIL Men’s World Championship started in 1967, winning nine World Championship gold medals.
Mark Cockerton’s four goals and two hat tricks from Curtis Dickson and Ben McIntosh of Canada blew past the Iroquois Nationals, 15-4, and to advance to the FIL Men’s World Championship gold-medal game. Canada will defend its title Saturday. Canada’s defense was on point keeping the Iroquois Nationals on the outside and forcing turnovers. Canada outshot Iroquois Nationals, 40-25.
Canada’s Dillon Ward, who was the MVP of the 2014 FIL Men’s World Championship, only allowed three goals on the night with a save percentage of 81 percent.
“I think it is all part of our defensive system and keeping them to low-angled shots. They are too talented to give them time and room and the center of the nets,” said Ward. “This is what we are here for, we are here to win a gold medal. The first step was to get there, and now we are going to take care of business.”Canada and the United States have squared off in the last 10 gold-medal games, with the United States winning seven. Canada has won three of the last five World Championships. From 1982-2002, the United States won six consecutive World Championships, and is looking for its 10thworld title on Saturday.
The bronze-medal game is scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m., between the Iroquois Nationals and Australia. In 2014 the same teams met, with the Iroquois Nationals winnings its first medal ever at the World Championship. Australia has won a medal in 11 of the 12 World Championships and looks to return to the podium in 2018.
Top Placement Games Schedule:
3rd – Iroquois Nationals vs. Australia at 8 p.m. (Wingate Field No. 1)
5th – England vs. Japan at 11 p.m. (Wingate Field No. 1)
7th – Puerto Rico vs. Israel at 5 p.m. (Wingate Field No. 1)
9th– Germany vs. Philippines at 6:45 p.m. (Wingate Field No. 4)
The 2018 FIL Men’s World Championship preliminary competition is set from July 11-17, with pool finals and crossover competition starting on July 15. After 169 games of competition, the 2018 FIL Men’s World Championship gold medalist will be crowned on July 21 at Netanya Stadium. Tickets for the World Championship may be purchased at www.worldlacrosse2018.com/tickets.
The majority of the World Championship will be held at Wingate National Sport Institution’s six competition fields. With the limited capacity, the venue will provide an electric atmosphere for the World Championship, with sell-out crowds anticipated.
ESPN and ESPN+ will broadcast the games in the United States from start to finish with 10 days of play on ESPN2 and ESPNU for 14 games, and more than 160 games available on the ESPN+, the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service. The FIL Men’s World Championship will also be available in Canada on TSN and locally in Israel on Sport 5. Fans will be able to watch the games in more than 50 countries. The FIL Men’s World Championship Broadcast schedule and link is here.
To follow the 2018 FIL Men’s World Championship, and get the most recent content from FIL’s FanHubthat provides one location for fans to see and read all the content written about the 2018 FIL Men’s World Championship. Content will be featured from media outlets, social media channels, the World Championship host site as well as original content from FIL’s media services team.
The FIL Men’s World Championship started in 1967 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where the United States defeated Australia for its first of nine World Championship gold medals. In 1974, the second World Championship was held in Melbourne, Australia, with the United States claiming the title. Since then, the event has been held every four years.
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2018 FIL Men’s World Championship
Netanya, Israel, July 11-21
Wingate National Sport Institute and Netanya Stadium
Results:
Thursday, July 19
Chinese Taipei def. Turkey, 15-9
Belgium def. Poland, 12-11
Wales def. Italy, 15-4
Czech Republic def. Hong Kong, 9-8
Argentina def. Spain, 16-12
Jamaica def. Finland, 8-7, OT
Denmark def. Korea, 11-7
Sweden def. Hungary, 14-8
Germany def. Ireland, 14-5
New Zealand def. Slovakia, 10-9
China def. Croatia, 15-10
Philippines def. Scotland, 12-6
Bermuda def. Peru, 16-4
Netherlands def. Austria, 10-7
Norway def. Switzerland, 7-5
France def. Russia, 17-8
Japan def. Israel, 10-9
Latvia def. Greece, 14-9
Mexico def. Uganda, 19-3
England def. Puerto Rico, 11-4
Semi-Finals
Canada def. Iroquois Nationals, 15-4
USA def. Australia, 14-5
Wednesday, July 18
China def. Colombia, 14-6
Chinese Taipei def. Luxembourg, 12-4
Bermuda def. Croatia, 10-1
Czech Republic def. Belgium, 10-8
Jamaica def. Switzerland, 12-6
Mexico def. Turkey, 14-8
Hong Kong def. Poland, 16-5
Sweden def. Argentina, 11-4
Hungary def. Spain, 9-8
Norway def. Austria, 16-5
Wales def. Latvia, 10-9
Greece def. New Zealand, 12-11
Russia def. Peru, 18-9
Korea def. Uganda, 12-4
Quarterfinals:
Australia def. Israel, 9-6
Iroquois Nationals def. Puerto Rico, 14-7
England def. Ireland, 11-10
Japan def. Scotland, 11-7
Tuesday, July 17
Switzerland def. New Zealand, 9-6
Czech Republic def. France, 14-7
Italy def. Philippines def. Italy, 12-11, OT
Latvia def. Norway, 9-8, OT
Spain def. Denmark, 12-7
Canada def. Australia, 13-7
Hungary def. Russia, 14-12
Bermuda def Chinese Taipei, 10-3
Germany def. Finland, 12-7
Belgium def. Korea, 17-8
Mexico def. Colombia, 22-10
USA def. England, 19-2
Wales def. Austria, 9-5
Jamaica def. Greece, 11-4
Iroquois Nationals def. Scotland, 14-7
Israel def. Ireland, 16-4
Netherlands def. Poland, 9-7
Slovakia def. Argentina, 10-9
Puerto def. Rico Japan, 14-9
Monday, July 16
Latvia def. Sweden, 13-9
Denmark def. Peru, 11-4
Ireland def. Italy, 15-7
France def. Uganda, 14-5
Bermuda def. Luxembourg, 17-2
Israel def. Philippines, 11-8
Mexico def. China, 15-14
Belgium def. Turkey, 11-8
Japan def. Finland, 15-5
New Zealand def. Hong Kong, 11-9
Hungary def. Croatia, 15-3
Australia def. England, 7-6
Wales def. Netherlands, 9-5
Jamaica def. Slovakia, 12-5
Puerto Rico def. Germany, 14-9
Canada def. Iroquois Nationals, 10-5
Austria def. Poland, 12-8
Greece def. Argentina, 12-9
USA def. Scotland, 18-2
Sunday, July 15
Finland def. Norway, 11-9
Russia def. Luxembourg, 24-1
Turkey def. China, 13-12
Germany def. Hong Kong, 12-4
Puerto Rico def. New Zealand, 13-1
Korea def. Mexico, 9-6
Philippines def. Switzerland, 11-5
Jamaica def. Peru, 17-4
Italy def. Sweden, 13-11
Ireland def. Latvia, 12-7
Wales def. Uganda, 17-1
England def. Scotland, 11-8
Belgium def. Colombia, 7-6
Slovakia def. Denmark, 8-5
Argentina def. Czech Republic, 12-8
Hungary def. Bermuda, 7-6
USA def. Canada, 11-10
Iroquois Nationals def. Australia, 16-9
Austria def. Spain, 12-10
Croatia def. Chinese Taipei, 7-6
Saturday, July 14
Hong Kong def. Uganda, 16-1
Japan def. Netherlands, 18-3
Finland def. Colombia, 20-4
Latvia def. Greece, 10-9, OT
Poland def. Luxembourg, 15-6
New Zealand def. Croatia, 16-2
USA def. Australia, 19-1
Germany def. France, 15-4
Sweden def. Hungary, 16-6
Ireland def. Denmark, 14-3
Philippines def. Belgium, 11-4
Switzerland def. Chinese TaiPei, 17-1
Canada def. Scotland, 22-3
Puerto Rico def. Bermuda, 17-3
Italy def. Peru, 13-7
Iroquois Nationals def. England, 18-7
Israel def. Russia, 19-2
Friday, July 13
Greece def. Mexico, 13-8
Austria def. Colombia, 13-7
Uganda def. Luxembourg, 7-6
Spain def. Croatia, 12-9
Japan def. Norway, 24-3
Hong Kong def. Poland, 9-7
Jamaica def. Russia, 17-7
Denmark def. China, 14-4
Australia def. Scotland, 18-6
France def. Korea, 10-6
Argentina def. Hungary, 14-6
Puerto Rico def. Wales, 16-4
Canada def. England, 12-6
Slovakia def. Chinese Taipei, 13-1
Peru def. Turkey, 18-11
Philippines def. Czech Republic, 11-6
Thursday, July 12
Germany def. Korea, 19-5
Poland def. Uganda, 16-4
Switzerland def. Slovakia, 10-6
Norway def. Netherlands, 14-6
New Zealand def. Spain, 9-5
Ireland def. China, 18-3
Latvia def. Mexico, 13-10
Italy def. Turkey, 16-8
Sweden def. Argentina, 13-5
Wales def. Bermuda, 8-4
Finland def. Austria, 11-7
Czech Republic def. Belgium, 15-8
Israel def. Jamaica, 11-3
USA def. Iroquois Nationals, 17-9
Wednesday, July 11
Hong Kong def. Luxembourg, 20-1
FIL Men’s World Championship History
Year – Teams (gold def. silver), Score, Location
2018 – USA vs. Canada, Netanya, Israel
2014 – Canada def. USA, 8-5, Denver, Colorado, USA
2010 – USA def. Canada, 12-10, Manchester, England
2006 – Canada def. USA, 15-10, London, Ontario, Canada
2002 – USA def. Canada, 18-15, Perth, Australia
1998 – USA def. Canada, 15-14 (OT), Baltimore, Maryland, USA
1994 – USA def. Australia, 21-7, Manchester, England
1990 – USA def. Canada, 19-15, Perth, Australia
1986 – USA def. Canada, 18-9, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1982 – USA def. Australia, 22-14, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
1978 – Canada def. USA, 17-16 (OT), Stockport, England
1974 – USA, Three-way tie for 2nd, Melbourne, Australia
1967 – USA def. Australia, 25-11, Toronto, Ontario, Canada