SINGAPORE, 10 December 2023 – Sweden held off a late charge from an inspired Finland side to win the Women’s World Floorball Championships (WFC) 2023 final 6-4 and clinch a record-extending ninth straight WFC title. The Swedes’ victory at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sunday (10 December) also marked their 11th overall WFC title.
The final day of the 2023 WFC also featured exhilarating battles and heated contests in the play-off matches. Czech Republic, who placed fourth at the last five editions of the WFC, won a rollercoaster match as they edged out Switzerland 5-4 to finish third this year and match their best WFC result, which they achieved in 2011. Slovakia defeated Poland 7-4 to finish in fifth place while Latvia came from behind for a 6-4 win to finish seventh.
The 2023 WFC is only the second time that the biennial event is held outside of Europe – the first time was in 2005, when it was hosted in Singapore as well.
The results from 10 December are as follows.
The final standings for the WFC 2023 are:
Denmark v Latvia
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#8 Sofia Vestegaard Frederiksen (1:39) #5 Sophine Bergen Jorgensen (20:22) #9 Lina Voldby (30:18) #22 Therese Anna Gabrielsson (54:07) |
#59 Evelina Garbare (23:54) #23 Emilija Salaciete (24:17) #41 Simona Grapena (47:45) #41 Simona Grapena (52:16) #77 Annija Darta Dankfelde (58:04) #41 Simona Grapena (59:17) |
Latvia staged a successful comeback to finish 7th in the WFC 2023, fuelled by forward Simona Grapena’s hat-trick in their 6-4 comeback victory over Denmark. A slow first period saw both sides struggle to find their rhythm, with Sofia Vestegaard Frederiksen scoring to give Denmark the 1-0 lead. Sophine Bergen Jorgensen made it 2-0 just 22 seconds into the second period, but Latvia displayed remarkable speed and skill to equalise swiftly. Latvia defender Evelina Garbare tapped one in to put her team on the scoreboard at 23:54, and team-mate Emilija Salaciete levelled the score less than 30 seconds later. Denmark took the lead again through Lina Voldby, who broke free from the cluster of Latvian players marking her to score her team’s third goal. A scintillating third period ensued as Grapena scored two goals to give Latvia a 4-3 lead. Switzerland, trailing for the first time, responded quickly through Therese Anna Gabrielsson. With less than two minutes of play, Latvia defender Annija Darta Dankfelde’s shot hit the top of the net and bounced out. There was a moment of trepidation as referees called for a review, followed by jubilation from the Latvia team as the goal was awarded. Grapena then scored her third goal in the dying seconds of the match to cement Latvia’s 6-4 victory.
Poland v Slovakia
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#9 Maja Helman (28:19) #89 Hanna Samson (43:46) #9 Maja Helman (47:04) #77 Zuzanna Krzywak (57:29) |
#44 Daniela Hrabovska (1:50) #6 Laura Chupekova (5:04) #16 Lenka Cervena (7:14) #6 Laura Chupekova (21:44) #22 Michaela Zivaska (35:56) #24 Linda Pudisova (54:21) #88 Kristina Hudakova (56:58) |
Slovakia thumped Poland to match their best WFC finish of fifth. Previous matches between both sides were always a close affair, but it was all Slovakia. Less than two minutes in, Daniela Hrabovska whipped in a screamer from a tight angle to give the Slovaks the lead. Building on that momentum, they added two more in the next six minutes to take a 3-0 lead ahead of the second period. Buoyed by the cushion, Slovakia then added their fourth of the day early in the second period before Poland pulled one back through Maja Helman. The Poles tried to cut their losses, opting to play with a sixth infield player at times. Their risks paid off as they scored two goals without a goalkeeper in the final period. However, the gap proved insurmountable as Slovakia held on for their second win against Poland at the 2023 WFC.
Switzerland v Czech Republic
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#21 Corin Ruttimann (16:35) #17 Isabelle Gerig (27:59) #10 Celine Stettler (46:56) #17 Isabelle Gerig (59:15) |
#7 Anna Bruchackova (29:56) #29 Vanessa Rebecca Keprtova (37:23) #5 Eliska Krupnova (43:08) #24 Denisa Ratajova (49:10) #29 Vanessa Rebecca Keprtova (58:07) |
Czech Republic emerged victorious in a heated battle for third place after defeating Switzerland 5-4 to match their best WFC result, which was last achieved at the 2011 WFC. Switzerland drew first blood in the 16th minute of the first period when Corin Ruttimann picked up a loose ball after a frenzy in the penalty box and smashed home to put the Swiss in front. Not long after, Isabelle Gerig scored her 9th of the tournament making it 2-0 in the 8th minute of the second period. The Czech Republic hit back instantly, halving the deficit after Anna Bruchackova’s super run into the penalty area ended with her slotting the ball past the goalkeeper. The Czechs continued to pile on the pressure and the breakthrough came when forward Vanessa Rebecca Keprtova levelled the score after an awkward bounce of the ball left her 1-1 with the goalkeeper. The Czech team took the lead for the first time early in the third period when captain Eliska Krupnova clinically dispatched the ball into the bottom left corner. But it didn’t take long for Switzerland to bounce back after a super strike from Celine Stettler landed in the top corner, making it 3-3. Czech Republic then took the lead again, pouncing on a mistake by the Swiss defence that allowed Denisa Ratajova to fire home from close range. The Czechs, who finished fourth at the last five editions of the WFC, put the game to bed two minutes from time after a swift counter-attack saw Keprtova get her second of the match. Switzerland’s Gerig pulled one back with 45 seconds to go but to no avail.
Sweden v Finland
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#11 Maja Vistrom (00:31) #14 Moa Tschop (6:31) #44 Lisa Carlsson (8:13) #3 Amanda Delgado Johansson (12:23) #11 Maja Vistrom (15:56) #8 Ellen Rasmussen (19:36) |
#3 Sara Piispa (39:16) #15 Miisa Turunen (42:46) #27 Oona Kauppi (48:43) #89 Jenna Saario (56:43) |
The 2023 WFC final got off to an electric start with Sweden scoring in the opening thirty seconds, sending the crowd into ecstasy. This was thanks to Sweden’s Maja Vistrom, who scored only her third goal of the tournament. Sweden’s dominance continued as they doubled their lead just six minutes later when defender Moa Tschop fired home from range. It turned out to be goals galore for the Swedish defenders with Lisa Carlsson scoring Sweden’s third with another long-range effort that found the bottom corner of the net – just two minutes after the defending champions netted their second goal. Forward Amanda Delgado Johansson scored Sweden’s fourth goal, making it five goals in as many matches at the WFC 2023. Vistrom extended the lead to 5-0, and Ellen Rasmussen made it 6-0 to cap off a perfect first period with a coolly-placed finish in the top right hand corner. The Swedish fans were left in disbelief at the dominance their team showed at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The second period of the match started off much tighter, marked by both sets of fans’ constant cheering. There was little to separate the two sides until the very last minute of the second period, which saw Finland pull one back through Sara Piispa’s low-driven shot to the bottom corner. Finland started the final period of the match in similar fashion with Miisa Turunen getting on the scoresheet. Finland halved the deficit just six minutes later after Oona Kauppi slotted home a well-placed finish. All the momentum was with Finland in their quest for another goal. With four minutes left on the clock, the Finnish scored their fourth through Jenna Saario to set up a nervy finish. But the Swedish defence held on tightly to their two-goal lead to stop any hopes of a comeback from Finland, and the final whistle cemented Sweden’s status as WFC champions for the 11th time.
More match updates are available here.
