Songs rang out, screams echoed. For once, the Lions’ World Cup match had a decent atmosphere during the game, writes journalist Jussi Paasi.
Jussi PaasiWrites about the World Championships from Tampere
It happened immediately when the puck hit the ice.
The atmosphere in the Tampere arena bounced to the ceiling. Almost through it.
Songs rang out, shouts echoed, the drum beat. For once, a good mood at the Lions World Cup game!
A crowd of about two hundred Hungarian supporters was responsible for that mood. They put up a stand-up stand on the upper galleries. No Hungarian fans sat during the game. They encouraged their own without flinching.
Finland took the lead in the game. The Hungarians continued to sing.
Leijonat scored the second goal. The red-white-green stand responded by roaring even louder for its own verses.
Then the moment came. Hungary scored a goal. The stormy thunder rumbled in a startlingly beautiful way.
The fleeting moments that the Hungarians were silent revealed everything. In the arena, you could sometimes hear your own breathing while the game was going on.
Yes, the Finnish public also made a noise. It was revealed in three ways: with the goal of the Lions, with the tireless drill of the arena masters of ceremonies, or with the Cha Cha cha played by the dishwasher.
During the two sets, Leijonat didn’t really offer anything to cheer about, but in the final set, Finland went all out. The home crowd got what they wanted: a 7–1 crushing victory.
Even that did not restrain the fanatical Hungarians. The song continued. The drum beat. Until the final buzzer.
I already wrote at the beginning of the games how easy it is to create an authentic atmosphere in a hockey match. That is, the atmosphere that is experienced while the game is running.
You need a fan stand for that. And that’s what the home crowd can only dream about in the Lions’ World Cup games. Maybe then in the next home games.
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