Comment|The Finnish team did change, but not so much the style of play. In the end, staying with the old was the key factor that made Finland the world champion.
Malmö
Finland the indoor basketball players pulled off a historic trick in the World Cup finals, when the blue and whites defeated Sweden 5-4 in overtime after dramatic stages.
Never before in the history of the floorball World Cup has there been a victory in the final from behind four goals.
Even in the opening set of the match, Finland’s golden celebration looked like a utopia. Finland was completely asleep and Sweden came out of the gates with a terrible frenzy.
The further the batch went, the worse the Finnish plaster looked. There was no injustice in the 3-0 half-time score.
In the second period, Finland improved its game, but in the name of honesty, it must be stated that the biggest boost was provided by Sweden’s goalkeeper Jon Hedlund.
Heikki Iiskolan the shot from a distance sank unreasonably easily.
Another turning point was the change of goalkeeper in Finland. Oskari Fälden made room in a 0–4 situation Markus Laaksowho kept his goal in the yard.
Another one at the end of the set and the beginning of the third, Sweden’s nervousness started to show. Finland missed the goal Justus Kainulainen with two overtime goals.
Aaro Astala equalization was preceded by Sweden Malte Lundmarkin incomprehensible misfeed.
The further the third set progressed, the harder Finland pressed on.
The winning goal in overtime couldn’t have gone to a better man. Miska Mäkinen was one of Finland’s best – if not the best – player in this tournament.
The World Cup are a two-year project. During the Malmö project, there has been a lot of talk about a renewed Finland.
Head coach Jussila has emphasized ball-based play.
The Finnish team did change, but not so much the style of play.
In the end, staying in the “old” was the key factor that made Finland the world champion.
“Esa is a smart man. He drives things in, but then when it comes to competition, he and the coaching staff know which weapons are the best to compete with. I doubt that we will go to the finals with the ancient weapons”, the legend of the sport Mika Kohonen swam for HS before the final.
When Jussila jumped at the helm of Finland, he was an inexperienced coach, whose choice aroused astonishment.
In Malmö, the former top player seemed to be the right captain to lead the flagship of Finnish floorball.
To the team the preparation for the final did not go smoothly, but Jussila succeeded in coaching during the game.
Finland did not go greedy and force in a losing position, but played with composure.
The further the game progressed, the more painful the Swedish team became.
Melting in the home final and missing the silver is a complete disaster for Sweden.
The loud games in Malmö would have been a disaster even if Sweden had won the gold.
Even in the final, the Malmö arena was not full.
Before the final, I asked Expressen’s floor bandy expert Mika Monzon from Packalénopinion to small audiences.
“Of course it’s disappointing. I had thought and hoped that there would have been a full house at least on the last weekend”, lamented Packalén, who was Sweden’s team leader in the previous two games.
Not even the home team’s raucousness in the opening set could make the Swedish audience feel euphoric.
Finland hit a gold mine, but as an event, the Malmö Games were farcical.