Finland Take Malmo InterCup Crown

In the last major Goalball competition before London 2012, Finland came out on top, followed by Sweden and Lithuania. 30 Jul 2012

A picture of a blind men playing Goalball

Finland Goalball Team on its way to London 2012, beat the host nation of the Malmo Men’s InterCup Sweden.

ⒸGetty Images

By IPC

Finland, the reigning European champions, won five of their six games at the tournament, with their only loss coming against Sweden in a preliminary round matchup.

In the final major men’s Goalball international tournament prior to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Finland handed host nation Sweden a 5-4 defeat in the finals of the Malmo Men’s InterCup on Sunday (30 July).

Finland, the reigning European champions, won five of their six games at the tournament, with their only loss coming against Sweden in a preliminary round matchup.

The Finnish Goalball team is made up of Jarno Mattila, Petri Posio, Erkki Miinala, Ville Montonen, Toni Alenius and Tuomas Nousu.

World champions Lithuania finished in third place, losing only to Belgium and Sweden during the weekend. The Lithuanians were followed in the standings by Belgium, the Czech Republic and Iran. Canada finished seventh, Japan came in eighth, and Great Britain and Denmark rounded out the finishers.

Seven of the teams from the Malmo Men’s InterCup will take part in the London 2012 Goalball competition from 30 August – 7 September at the Copper Box on the Olympic Park, including the top three finishers Finland, Sweden and Lithuania.

Tickets for the Paralympic Goalball competition are still available at www.london2012.com.