PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Finland squandered its chance to reach the semifinals of the JVM.
Despite leading twice and a power play in the final seconds, it was Sweden who drew the longest straw.
– I missed coaching, says Finnish expert Topi Nättinen critically after the exit.
When the gunpowder smoke settled in the rival meeting between Sweden and Finland, it was the blue and yellow who got to celebrate. For a long time it looked like it would be the third straight JVM loss against Finland for the Swedish part, but the team captain Victor Stjernborg in a numerical disadvantage ensured that the Junior crowns play the semi-final against the Czech Republic.
“Missed coaching”
The Finns have to go home instead, and the reactions in the home country were not long in coming after Tuesday’s loss.
“It cannot be true,” writes the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.
“Finland fell in a terrible way,” adds the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.
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And there are further critical voices against the Finnish game. The Finnish expert Topi Nettinenwho works for the Finnish-Swedish news channel EPN, questions the Finnish management team.
– I missed coaching, they weren’t active or gave energy on the bench. It seemed like the players didn’t know each other, says Nättinen.
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Finnish disappointment
He continues:
– Finland deserved to get more from this match. Neither team was particularly good, but overall Finland was the better team. In quarter-final matches like this, the result is what matters and it was bad for Finland, he says.
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Even from the players’ side, expressions were not very cheerful, for obvious reasons.
– A big disappointment. First really heavy match and then we go home straight away. We had everything in our own hands and this is how it goes, says the forward Niko Huuhtanen to Discovery, the one who scored the Finnish 2–1 goal.
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