Sweden upsets Latvia in front of a record crowd – 03.12.2016

Team Sweden showed what they´re capable of and defeated Team Latvia, while the highest attendance record ever was set in Arena Riga for an opening game of Floorball World Championships - as it stands - 8011.

The moment that Latvian fans waited so long for finally arrived. Team Latvia took to the court to play against Sweden in their opening game of the World Championships. In the first period the ball slipped between both teams creating tons of great scoring chances both ways. At 9:53 Sweden got their opening goal when Linus Nordgren was left all alone in front of the net and beating Latvian goaltender Andis Blinds. Sweden´s second goal came on a bad giveaway by Latvian defender in his own zone. A bad bounce for Latvia and the ball ended up on Swede´s stick who made it 3-0. But moments later Arena Riga went crazy when the first goal of the tournament for the host team was scored by Rolands Kovalevskis. Latvia controlled the game in the final minute, unfortunately for them the first intermission came with the host being down 1-3.

In the second period, 26 seconds after the face-off Sweden finds the back of Latvia´s net to make it 1-4.  Towards the middle of the game, Latvians had a chance to catch up on goal during the power play, but could not make it count. Still being down by three goals, the Latvians picked up their pace. Both teams fighting for every inch of the court. 11:23 played in the secnd period and the Swedes find the back of Latvian net once again to make it 1-5. 12:38, Arena Riga got a chance to rave again as Latvian´s scored their second goal of the game to make it 2-5.  To round out the period both teams kept having their chances and at some points the Latvians did look more dangerous than Swedes. Score remained 2-5 after two periods.

As the third period began, the Swedes wasted no time going all out to extend their league and it took them 42 seconds to make it 6-2. Endless support for Team Latvia as the pace of the game picked up as they closed towards the final ten minutes of the period, Sweden showed zero interest in what Latvia had planned, following with a goal for the Swedes to put them up 2-7. 12 minutes into the third period, Latvia got two empty net chances but could not capitalize on either of them allowing Sweden to maintain their 5 goal lead. Latvia tried to fight back but fell short and the game ended with a score 2-7.