Comment | The Finnish fiasco is over – the bronze medal is calling

Zurich

Boring, boring, boring. And so dramatic!

Sweden defeated Finland in the men’s WC men’s semi-final in Zürich after a penalty shootout with 4–3 goals and advanced to the final.

At the same time, the result was a real fiasco and pancake for the other great country of the sport.

Sweden controlled the match nicely, but Finland leveled five minutes before the end of the actual game time Otto Lehkosuo on the finish line.

Sweden was better in winning shots, although Finland led the race for a long time. Towards the end, the Finns’ shoulders started to shake. Finland melted.

Boring the semi-final was made by the fact that for a long time the game was careful and safe dribbling the ball in one’s own end – exactly the kind of thing that many sports people would like to get rid of.

Sweden respected Finland’s attacking power so much that the team didn’t want to outplay themselves even by accident with too bold a pressing game.

And Finland, which went into the match as underdogs, had no desire to give space to fast attacks either.

And as soon as the defensive pack spread out for a moment, goals were seen at both ends, as happened in the second period. Sweden made three of them and Finland two (Justus Kainulainen and Nico Salo).

Dramatically the semi-final was made by its huge stakes. Sweden has always played in the finals of the World Cup since 1996.

Falling into the bronze medal game would have been a kind of national fiasco in the motherland of floorball.

Now the f-word hit Finland.

For the Finnish team and its head coach Petteri Nykyle getting into the bronze game is undeniably disappointing and a flop.

Disappointment was seen in Nyky’s staring eyes after the semi-final and heard in his voice.

The bronze medal is not a shame, but the way we got there is not flattering.

Although in the semi-final Finland was strong and at times clinical, the game has otherwise only worked for moments at the World Championships in Zurich.

This was especially the case in the playoff match against Switzerland, which turned out to be a well-deserved defeat. So it’s an honest failure.

“There’s not much to comment on when it comes to mud. However, I am pleased that the boys gave themselves a chance to win. Sometimes it seemed that there was no way to get the ship to turn in the right direction, but now there were already signs of that,” Nykky said after the match.

“It just wasn’t enough.”

Finland was firmly in the finals after leading the shootout with two goals.

But the lead melted away, as it has happened in Finnish football against Sweden.

Nykky was sure that there would be a download for the bronze game as well.

“Of course. We will play here as long as the tournament lasts.”

One the circle closed in Finnish floorball in a boring way. The last time Finland played in the bronze medal game was in 2004, i.e. before Nyky and Petri Kettusen head coaching seasons.

In this sense, too, it’s a decent flop, although it’s also about the consolidation of the top of floorball.

For the Swiss audience, Finland’s place in the final would have been fine. It became clear already from the vigorous cheers and sighs during the actual game time.

And cheers to the Swedes.

Text supplemented with comments from head coach Petteri Nyky.