Match for 3rd place was certainly the most important of the day, as the teams would not only compete for final ranking in the competition but mainly to grab the last berth on offer for the semi-finals of the World League.

Before the match, Canadian Adam Froese was honored for his 100th International Cap.

Both teams were nervous in the opening stages, careful not to expose themselves. Russia managed to penetrate a couple times the Canadian defense with aerial balls finding high forwards, but Dave Carter was steady in goal. Russia won a penalty-corner in the 8th minute, well defended by the Canadians.

The Russians were certainly more in the match than the Canadians in this opening quarter, creating many dangerous situations around the circle. However, it was the North Americans who scored first (by Mark Pearson), somewhat against the run of play on one of their incursions in Russian territory.

Canada had two penalty-corners in the opening minute of second quarter but Scott Tupper’s flicks were saved on the line. Gabriel Ho-Garcia however scored on the following action and the Canadian fans in the stands started to breathe easier. The Russians reacted well and forced a penalty-corner, but to no avail. They were the ones nervous now, and received a green and a yellow card, giving away another penalty-corner to Canada, but Marat Gafarov in the Russian goal saved for the fourth time Tupper’s low flick.

It was not a day for the penalty-corner specialists as Russia missed another opportunity to a fast running defender, and half-time was reached with the tenuous but precious two-goal lead for Canada.

Play was locked in midfield for a while at the beginning of second half, then suddenly opened up. Russia had a chance on a cross that rolled tantalizingly in front of the empty net before been cleared, then David Carter in the Canadian goal stood tall on a violent shot from close range,

but the Russians received a yellow card to follow and the Canadians had some breathing room for a while. They took advantage to score their third goal by Iain Smythe, building a more comfortable cushion at the end of third quarter.

The Canadians knew that the fourth quarter would be hard, with the Russians throwing at them everything they had left, but they maintained their structure and composure in front of the intense pressure. Russia hit the post on a penalty-corner in the 50th minute and, with time ticking down on the clock, too slow for the Canadians but too fast for the Russians, tension became palpable on the pitch and on the team benches.

Just when it seemed that the Canadians were starting to run out of steam, Taylor Curran added a fourth goal for what looked like an unsurmountable lead. Canada had to play the final minutes short on a yellow card and Russia pulled one goal back by Igor Siniagin with three minutes to go, but it was too little too late and the Canadians were soon celebrating the win and their tickets for the semi-finals of the World League.