SINGAPORE, 5 December 2023 – Sweden and Czech Republic reached the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Floorball Championships (WFC) 2023 after their Group B wins over Poland and Slovakia respectively on Tuesday (5 December). Both teams join Finland and Switzerland, who secured their quarter-final spots a day earlier. The final day of group stage action also saw Singapore deliver a plucky performance at the OCBC Arena as they fell 2-3 to Germany to finish second in Group C.
The hosts will still have a chance to vie for one of the four remaining places in the quarter-finals, which will be determined during the play-off round on Wednesday (6 December). The top two teams each from Group A and Group B qualify directly for the quarter-finals. The remaining teams from Group A and Group B, as well as the top two teams each from Group C and Group D, will compete in the first play-off round for a place in the quarter-finals on 7 and 8 December.
The results from Dec 5 are as follows.
France v Australia
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#77 Marine Klopfenstein (17:50) #23 Emilie Waeber Belet (20:21) Own goal (32:56) #77 Marine Klopfenstein (34:06) #6 Pauline Meneust (56:58) |
#23 Hayley Cole (2:08) #37 Zoe Shanahan (41:36) #2 Melissa Creagh (51:48) #2 Melissa Creagh (58:54) #10 Blaise Hodges (59:10) |
The first match of the day was a thriller that saw Australia claw back from the brink of defeat to deny WFC debutantes France their first win here, with the game ending in a 5-5 draw. Both teams were cheered on by fervent supporters who waved their flags enthusiastically and kept up a constant refrain of encouragement. After the first period ended with the score at 1-1, France had the upper hand in the next period as their opponents scored an own goal, in addition to goals from Emilie Waeber Belet and Marine Klopfenstein. France goalkeeper Zuzana Kandrikova also recorded a 100 per cent save rate to keep the Australians at bay and ensure that her team stayed ahead at 4-1 at the end of the second period. But Australia returned to the court fired up and narrowed the score to 4-3 with goals from Zoe Shanahan and Melissa Creagh. After France captain Pauline Meneust scored with just over 3 minutes of play left, Australia opted to play without a goalkeeper – a move that paid off as Creagh scored her second goal of the match and Australia captain Blaise Hodges equalised 50 seconds before the final whistle. With the result, France are third in Group C while Australia are fourth. Both will compete in the play-off matches for the 13th to 16th placings on 6 December, with France to face the USA and Australia to face Estonia.
Estonia v Japan
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#2 Kati Kutisaar (20:33) Own goal (26:08) #36 Piret Puidak (44:45) |
#8 Mahiro Shimizu (25:16) #19 Yu Abe (27:37) #21 Shiho Morinaga (49:15) |
It was an emotional display at the OCBC Arena Hall 1 as Japan and Estonia produced an intense six-goal thriller that saw drama, tears and cheers. With Japan seeking to stay unbeaten at the WFC 2023 and Estonia hunting for a place in the quarter-final play-offs, the teams brought their A-game and kept tight defences from the start. Both goalkeepers proved reliable backbones for their team, saving all attempts their opponents threw at them in the first period, which ended goalless. At the restart, attacking mode was turned on instead and Estonian captain Kati Kutisaar broke the deadlock just 33 seconds into the second period, which ended 2-2. With Japan a player down for an illegal hit early in the third period, Estonia seized their chance as forward Piret Puidak whacked a stunning long-range shot into the top corner to give her side the lead for the third time. Not to be outdone, Japan’s Shiho Morinaga also produced a screamer from just after the halfway line to equalise. As time ran out and tensions rose, Estonian goalkeeper Saskia Ormak handled the ball outside the area while running back to defend the empty net leading to a penalty being awarded to Japan. Captain Yui Goto, who had previously demonstrated her ability to keep level-headed in such situations, could not replicate her success and could only bury her head in her hands after hitting the post. At the final whistle, players from both sides exchanged emotional handshakes even as the arena celebrated Estonian defender Reelika Liiv’s 19th birthday with a song.
USA v Denmark
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#57 Selma Johansson (4:41) #52 Catherine Lovitt (30:18) |
#18 Sara Mainz Olsson (24:37) #9 Lina Voldby (36:56) #5 Sophine Bergen Jorgensen (39:20) #8 Sofia Vestergaard Frederiksen (42:28) #18 Sara Mainz Olsson (43:44) #4 Victoria Wohlert (46:51) #14 Anna Habersatter (47:36) #8 Sofia Vestergaard Frederiksen (49:29) #16 Esther Juul Thomsen (59:10) |
Denmark overcame a slow start to record a 9-2 win over the USA and finish second in Group D, sealing their place in the play-off round to reach the quarter-finals. The USA took an early lead with Selma Johansson scoring to give her team a 1-0 headstart. Though Denmark’s Sara Mainz Olsson equalised in the second period, the Danes soon found themselves trailing again after Catherine Lovitt of the USA scored the team’s second goal. But Denmark drew level again through Lina Voldby, and took the lead after Sophine Bergen Jorgensen’s shot found the net with less than a minute to go in the second period. There was no looking back for Denmark as they ramped up their attack to embark on a goal-scoring spree in the third period for a decisive victory. Denmark will next face Norway for a place in the quarter-finals, while USA play France on Wednesday.
Sweden v Poland
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#11 Maja Vistrom (05:45) #16 Moa Gustafsson (06:36) #27 Moa Andersson (09:33) #26 Emelie Wibron (10:21) #8 Ellen Rasmussen (11:33) #13 Wilma Johansson (12:36) #26 Emelie Wibron (13:57) Own goal (14:26) #8 Ellen Rasmussen (14:41) #8 Ellen Rasmussen (16:58) #8 Ellen Rasmussen (18:51) #47 Hanna Nordstrand (32:24) #26 Emelie Wibron (33:32) #26 Emelie Wibron (33:49) #3 Amanda Delgado Johansson (34:41) #8 Ellen Rasmussen (37:41) #8 Ellen Rasmussen (43:14) #13 Wilma Johansson (44:31) #6 Klara Loneberg (49:17) #22 Nellie Ohgren (52:32) #6 Klara Loneberg (52:50) #26 Emelie Wibron (53:24) #3 Amanda Delgado Johansson (54:12) #13 Wilma Johansson (56:25) #44 Lisa Carlsson (57:51) |
#8 Dominika Buczek (36:30) |
Sweden cemented their quarter-finals spot while demonstrating just why they are the reigning world champions and world No. 1 with a resounding victory over Poland. It took just five minutes for them to get going, but once they scored their first goal, there was no looking back as their relentless attacking gave them a whopping 11-0 lead after the first period. They later extended that lead by four before Poland’s Dominika Buczek pulled one back but Sweden still maintained a 16-1 lead at the break. Their ruthless streak was on full display again in the third period they scored nine goals to record the highest number of goals scored in a match at this tournament. Sweden will face either Latvia or Japan in the last eight, while Poland play Germany in their quarter-final play-off on Wednesday.
Slovakia v Czech Republic
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#30 Paulina Hudakova (1:48) |
#4 Michaela Kubeckova (13:19) #9 Nela Jirakova (19:11) #7 Anna Bruchakova (25:02) #2 Eliska Chuda (25:26) #5 Eliska Krupnova (35:22) #27 Vendula Maroszova (45:27) #13 Michaela Mechlova (48:04) #7 Anna Bruchackova (52:49) #7 Anna Bruchackova (58:28) |
Czech Republic booked their place in the WFC 2023 quarter-finals after finishing second in Group B with their 9-1 win over Slovakia. With both teams battling for the coveted spot in the last eight, the contest at the OCBC Arena was more heated than the scoreline suggested as Slovakia struck first with a successful penalty shot by Paulina Hudakova. Czech Republic quickly equalised through Michaela Kubeckova, and edged ahead after Nela Jirakova’s shot from the middle of the court landed home. Slovakia continued to pressure their opponents as they employed numerous tactical adjustments in a bid to narrow the score. But Czech Republic held steady and remained faster and fiercer to rack up more goals and seal their quarter-final berth. They will face either Norway or Denmark in the quarter-finals on Friday. Meanwhile, Slovakia will reach the last eight if they defeat Singapore in the play-off match on Wednesday.
Singapore v Germany
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#8 Siti Nurhaliza Khairul Anuar (39:13) #9 Jerelee Ong (43:33) |
#15 Elena Broker (10:33) #5 Pauline Baumgarten (43:58) #11 Winona Jurgens (54:58) |
Although both teams had secured their places in the play-offs for the WFC 2023 quarter-finals, Singapore and Germany still had something to fight in this Group C clash – the winner would finish top of the table. Both took some time to get their rhythm going and were equally matched but Germany’s patience in breaking down the Singapore defence paid off after 10 minutes through Elena Broker. Singapore then upped the ante but German goalkeeper Noora Holle proved a brick wall in goal, saving all eight of Singapore’s attempts to preserve her side’s lead. It was a similar story in the second period with both teams keeping the pressure on each other. Singapore had better chances but could not find the target while goalkeeper Shermaine Goh remained alert to keep the deficit at just one. The hosts finally had their breakthrough in the final minute of the second period when Siti Nurhaliza Khairul Anuar’s flick off Foo Wen Xin’s lob found the back of the net. Four minutes in the third period, Singapore took the lead through Player of the Match Jerelee Ong’s mid-range hit into the far post as the home crowd erupted into raucous cheers. But just seconds later, forward Pauline Baumgarten celebrated her 100th cap in style, beating Goh from close range. With 10 minutes to go, Winona Jurgens produced a stunning solo effort to snatch the lead. Holle also displayed nerves of steel, making three saves in the final minute to ensure Germany finish top of the group. For a place in the quarter-finals, the Germans will play Poland, while the hosts face Slovakia on Wednesday.
Tickets are available at https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/wfc2023. More match updates are available at https://app.floorball.sport/leagueorganizer/Magazine/92#/leagueorganizersite/92/start.
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