Finland’s Golden Jubilee will be full of happiness in the oval in Malmö. The world championship was the fifth for Finnish men. The players tell how the championship match progressed.
Jaakko Servo,
Hinn Hirvonen
Finland won the men’s floorball World Cup gold on Sunday by defeating Sweden in overtime.
At the beginning of the match, this was hard to believe. Sweden already took a 4–0 lead at the beginning of the second period and its championship seemed almost certain. Next Oskari Fälden got away from Finland’s goal and Markus Laakso came instead.
Heikki Iiskolan a surprising shot from a distance gradually brought Finland into the game. Justus Kainulainen on the other hand, emerged when goals were needed. The Dutch-born player finished the final with 2+1 and was Finland’s best scorer in the tournament (7+3=10).
‘s expert Toni Lötjönen said in the studio when Fälden had conceded three goals that “the goalkeeping game has been lost”. Finland’s head coach Esa Jussila didn’t want to blame Fälden for Sweden quickly taking the lead.
– Fälden has been in an incredible attack in all our games. You can’t blame him for the goals. It’s more to do with coaching, that the team wasn’t ready to play from the start. There we have a place to look in the mirror.
Markus Laakso, who made a save in the finals of the draw, was “hit by a fool” when the buzzer sounded.
– Before the game, no one in this hall could have imagined that it would turn out like this. I’m smitten. There are no words, Laakso said.
Blowed the ice like goals
25-year-old defender Eemeli Akola tinged in the final in a different way. He acquired Hampus for Ahren two two-minute ice-outs and the Finnish gambler fanned Ahren’s penalties like goals.
Akola was also strongly present at the defensive end. He covered several shots of Swedish players throughout the match.
After the championship was decided, he was confused. The defender playing in Växjö admitted that he doesn’t really understand what happened.
– I said (Emelie) For Salinithat there was a feeling that we are going to play, do our best and see what it says when the clock stops for the last time. Now it turned out for the best. There is a bit of a feeling that because you really understand this. Maybe at Christmas, Akola said.
The namesakes (Eemeli Salin and Eemeli Akola) have previously won the Finnish championship six times together in their club team Tampere Classic. Now they are also celebrating the world championship as teammates.
Akola knew how to expect a tight fight in the final. According to him, the team had talked about the big differences between Swedes and Finns.
– Swedes have tålamod (Finnish patience) and we have guts – and guts never run out!
At the beginning of the games, the Finnish team was criticized for their sticky play. Akola thinks the final was a good moment to show what Finnish players are made of.
“Believe” pin on the chest
The head coach of the Finnish team, Esa Jussila, 45, had a pin with the words “believe” on his chest during the final. According to the national team group, it reflected the internal theme of the team in the final match. They didn’t give up – not even though Sweden already led by four goals.
Jussila started in his position in January 2023. During his playing career, he won the world championship twice in the jersey of Finland. Jussila admitted that as a coach you have to work a lot more for the world championship.
– When you know how much time, sweat and tears each player has put into this sport during his life, and the compensations are not big, then this is one of the best moments you can experience, Jussila said.