The Swedish and Finnish Y17 national teams are set for the World Championship final in Trollhättan. The final will be played on February 23 at 11:00 AM at Slättbergshallen.
The match will be played in two halves of 30 minutes each.
—Of course, we aim to defend our gold, says head coach Linnéa Thored Bergkvist.
After the opening day’s two victories – 8-1 against both Finland and Norway – the blue and yellow U17 girls added two more convincing wins in Saturday’s matches at Slättbergshallen.
First, a full 7-0 against Finland in the morning, then a 5-1 win against Norway a few hours later.
—It’s great that we’ve kick-started our goal-scoring production, says Linnéa Thored Bergkvist, the Swedish head coach, and adds:
—But I’m most pleased that we have managed to organize our defense so well.
So far, the tally stands at 28 goals scored and only three conceded over four matches.
In the match against Finland, the blue-and-white goalkeeper Emilia Piekkari held her ground for a long time and very well. She allowed only two goals in the first half and made around ten saves throughout the match. However, in the final, narrow quarter, the Finnish defense crumbled, and Sweden was able to score goal after goal. Within the span of ten minutes, the Swedes netted five goals, making the 7-0 win a certainty.
Moa Rantala and Elin Palm each contributed two goals.
Magical Atmosphere in the Stands
In the encounter with Norway, the match was much more even, and a delightful cheer battle unfolded in the stands at Slättbergshallen between the two nations. Sweden enjoyed a 3-0 lead at halftime, but after Isabell Oskarsen Skare’s goal to reduce the margin eight minutes into the second half, Norway was given an opportunity to pull another goal a few minutes later. However, the penalty shot was struck against the crossbar and went wide.
Instead, Sweden pulled away to a comfortable 5-1 victory with two quick goals in the final minutes, scored by Hilda Kolsmyr and Nathalie Hjortenhed.
—There is a great joy and sense of unity in this team that shows on the ice. I am very satisfied and happy with that, emphasizes head coach Linnéa Thored Bergkvist.
In Sunday’s final, Sweden will face Finland, who in their decisive match against Norway on Saturday evening won 2-0. The highlight of that match was Elsa Ora’s thunderous corner into one of the posts—a goal that sealed the final result at 2-0.
Photo: Gert Holmér