PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Lina Hurtig became a great hero for Sweden.
Now the nervous penalty shooter reveals the anxious time afterwards.
– It actually makes me sick to my stomach, she tells Radiosporten.
It was really with the smallest possible margin that Sweden progressed to the World Cup quarter-finals after a terrible penalty drama against the USA on Sunday. A very nervous one Lina Hurtig stepped forward to take the decisive penalty for Blågult and she didn’t even know the conditions.
Swedish drama
The Swede admitted afterwards that she did not know what would happen if she scored or not. Then she shot and the American goalkeeper saved first and then got the ball away again with another save – most people thought.
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But then the picture was shown, which has become a huge talking point since then. That the ball was actually over the goal line by a measly millimeter and was therefore approved by both the goal camera and VAR review.
READ MORE: Zecira Musovic’s cheeky stroke of genius in the feat match – the Swedish WC hero lied to his teammate: “I’m ashamed”
Hurtig admits
A huge cheer erupted and in the middle of it all was a dazed Hurtig as a blue-and-yellow hero. It’s been a while since the Sunday morning drama and it’s been a tough time for the unsung match hero.
– There was a little celebration of course on the bus to the hotel, we had dinner and then went up to the room and called home. Then try to sleep but it didn’t go so well, there were many thoughts spinning in my head so it was difficult to sleep, Hurtig tells Radiosporten about the first night after the World Cup round of 16.
– It was the whole match that spun, with the penalties. It was such an emotional rollercoaster at the penalties so there were many thoughts.
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She then makes a strong confession that she does not want to review the punishment in advance, that it is too difficult.
– I have seen the picture a lot, the punishment not so much. I don’t want to watch it, it actually makes me sick to my stomach. There were so many emotions that came there, because it was so sick and so close that I get a little sick to my stomach from it, she says to the radio channel.
READ MORE: Giant rage after inappropriate behavior towards Swedish WC hero Zecira Musovic: “Totally disrespectful”
Japan is waiting
The time after has been about a lot of congratulatory greetings and people getting in touch.
– There were a lot of congratulations, of course, and that picture, as I said. It was a little more than usual, was it, says Lina Hurtig in the interview.
Next, Japan is waiting for our blue-and-yellow national team for the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday morning.
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