BRATISLAVA – Host Slovakia won the only game on day one of the 2008 IIHF InLine Hockey World Championship against Austria, 6-4.

Heimo Lindner opened the score for Austria in a clash between the two neighbouring countries with one of his two goals while Martin Mairitsch had the two other goals for the Austrians.

However, Lindner’s 1-0 at 6:16 brought the lead for not longer than four minutes. Peter Staron equalised while Slovakia was playing shorthanded. The Slovaks turned the game in the second period when Andrej Szoke and Richard Kapus found the net to make it 3-1.

Two goals by Henrich Ruzkay in the third period brought the decision in favour of the hosts. Austria came close and made it from 5-1 to 5-4 in the fourth period but Roman Simunek scored an empty netter while one second remaining.

The InLine Hockey World Championship will be in full swing with all 16 teams from Sunday.

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