Day 6 saw the first Quarter Finals of the World Floorball Championships take place alongside the placement matches for 13-16th place.
Poland – Estonia
The playoffs were in full swing as the Baltic Hall kicked off with an exciting clash between Estonia and Poland in a match for 9th–12th place. Estonia, who secured an impressive 9th place in the last WFC in Switzerland, had their sights set on repeating that achievement. Poland, on the other hand, had not managed to place higher than 10th in the past three championships and were determined to break that trend and climb higher.
The game began with an intense push from Estonia, who, despite having played a late game the night before, appeared rested and full of energy. Estonia’s Eget Unga also showed he was well-prepared, stepping up, receiving the ball, and with a clinical finish, putting his team 1-0 up. Estonia continued to press hard, but Poland’s goalkeeper delivered a series of spectacular saves, including leg parries and impressive reflex saves that delighted the crowd. However, when Estonia got a power play, the goalkeeper could no longer hold off, and the score moved to 2-0. After several chances from both teams, the first period ended, with the scoreline 2-0 standing as they entered the second.
The second period started with intensity, and Poland quickly got a chance on the power play. After a while, the young and promising Emil Karkulowski stepped up and showcased his skill, firing in a 2-1 goal. The goal injected a surge of energy into the red team, who now used that momentum to push forward and chase the equalizer. Following a high-stick situation in front of the goal, Estonia was awarded a penalty shot to extend their lead. But Poland’s goalkeeper continued to impress and made a fantastic save to keep his team in the game. Finally, the in-form Ken Pähn, who had tallied eight points in the group stage, kept up his high level of play and, with a brilliant move in front of the goal, made it 3-1. As Poland ramped up their pressure and pushed forward, Estonia’s goalkeeper once again stood tall, denying multiple dangerous chances from the red-clad team. This solid defensive performance allowed Estonia to maintain their 3-1 lead into the third period.
Estonia got off to a dream start in the third, as Tanel Kasenurm received the ball and, with a brilliant finish, sent a powerful shot into the top corner. Poland continued to fight hard, playing the ball well within the team but struggled to create truly dangerous chances. Estonia, however, remained highly efficient and found another opportunity to score, which resulted in a 5-1 lead. Poland quickly responded, pulling one back to make it 5-2 with one of their dangerous counterattacks, keeping the match very much alive. After a game full of power plays, Estonia finally got a chance to pull away, and they seized it. Rasmus Bolander converted a volley rebound to make it 6-2, giving his team strong momentum. But Poland wasn’t giving up, pulling their goalkeeper and scoring to make it 6-3. That would be the final score after the third period, and Estonia emerged as the winners.
Philippines – Denmark
The first match of the day at Malmö Arena is between the Philippines and Denmark. The starting whistle blows, Denmark wins the faceoff, and the match begins. The action swings back and forth incredibly fast. Denmark takes a shot on goal, but the ball flies high over the crossbar. A minute later, it’s the Philippines’ turn to test their chance on goal. And so it continues, back and forth. The goalkeepers on both teams are on their toes, making several really good saves. As a spectator, it’s impossible to predict how the outcome will unfold for the two teams.
After five minutes of play, the Philippines gets a counterattack and quickly scores the first goal of the match. A few minutes later, it’s Denmark’s turn to celebrate. Number five, Kristoffer Handgaard, delivers a powerful shot straight into the net. The score is now 1–1.
In the remaining part of the first period, Denmark takes control of the game. At 12:40, Denmark scores their second goal, and then more goals follow for the team in white. The first period ends with a 4–1 lead for Denmark.
45 seconds into the second period, Denmark scores their fifth goal. The rest of the period remains scoreless, but both teams get several sharp goal-scoring opportunities.
The third period begins strongly for the Philippines, and just 40 seconds in, they score their second goal. As in the first period, Denmark quickly counters with a phenomenal passing game and scores another goal. The lead extends to 7–2. Despite the Philippines continuing to fight hard and creating several good chances, Denmark maintains their advantage. With fifteen seconds left in the third period, they score their tenth goal, and the match ends 10–2 in Denmark’s favor.
Canada – Australia
The playoffs were in full swing as Australia and Canada met in their final game of the championship, with everything on the line. Neither team held anything back, giving their all in a fierce battle for 15th place determined to finish the tournament on a high note. Australia, coming off a tough loss to Thailand in their previous match – after leading by two goals going into the final period, only to lose in overtime – were likely eager to bounce back and end the championship on a strong note. Canada, likewise, had lost to Slovenia and were equally determined to finish strong.
The first period kicked off with high energy, both on the floor and in the stands. With passionate support, Canada gave their fans something to cheer about when they scored 1-0 in the third minute of the game. Fans familiar with Australia’s journey throughout the tournament recognized the chants that followed when Liam Perry stepped up to equalize with a 1-1 goal. A familiar tune echoed in the stands, hint: “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie…” The well-known cheer also made its appearance when Australia got a power play and capitalized, taking a 2-1 lead. However, Canada’s response was quick as they tied the game again. Shortly after, the Australian Gartner brothers showed their trademark chemistry. Tomas carried the ball forward, passed it through his legs, and sent it to Daniel, who calmly finished it off for 3-2. A skilled move that gave Australia the lead going into the second period.
In the second period, both teams pushed themselves to the limit. With it being the final match of the championship, there was no holding back. The intensity on the floor was matched by the energy from the stands, creating an electric atmosphere in the arena. The mood reached new heights when Australia extended their lead with their fourth goal. Despite the increased lead going into the break, one thing had become clear in this tournament – everything remains uncertain until the final buzzer sounds.
Australia began the third period with a minute of power play, but Canada shut it down. Valtteri Viitakoski intercepted the ball, surged forward, and with his deadly shot, made it 4-3. The match was instantly revived when Cedric Grenapin snatched the ball shortly after and equalized at 4-4 – a thrilling turnaround that had the crowd on edge. However, Australia was not going to make it easy and quickly responded, regaining the lead at 5-4. The match swung wildly as Australia scored again, making it 6-4 – four goals in just seven minutes, a wild turn of events that kept the fans on the edge of their seats.
With both teams eager to claim 15th place, Canadian Viitakoski stepped up when it was most needed and pulled one back, reducing the score to 6-5. With about 10 minutes remaining, the action continued to escalate, and the scoreline suddenly stood at 8-6 in favor of Australia after a wild goal spree. By now, anyone who hadn’t heard the name Viitakoski was certainly familiar with it, as he had cemented his place as a key player in the match. As the final minutes ticked down, so did the intensity. In this extremely tight and action-packed game, it was ultimately Australia who sealed the deal with a 9-6 score.
Slovenia – Thailand
The match for 13th place in the tournament was played between Slovenia and Thailand, two teams that had already faced each other in the group stage. That match ended in a draw after Thailand equalized in the final second. Therefore, another close game was expected between the two teams.
Slovenia took an early grip on the match and had already made it 3-0 by 07:07. Despite the deficit, Thailand didn’t pout, and at 12:50, they managed to reduce the lead. This came through a beautiful shot from Lukas Hubinette Phraiwan. The goal gave more energy to the Thais, and shortly after, they scored again to make it 3-2. A score that would last until the end of the period.
In the second period, the game was balanced, with play going back and forth without either team creating really sharp goal-scoring opportunities. At 11:35, Thailand received a penalty, giving Slovenia a chance they would not waste. Assisted by Nejc Peklaj, Robi Kosir scored to make it 4-2, giving Slovenia some breathing room again.
The third period remained close, with chances at both ends. Thanks to a couple of saves from Yotsaphong Chaiphring in the Thai goal, the score remained unchanged. However, at 12:30, Thailand received another penalty. Just as in the second period, Slovenia capitalized on the powerplay and extended their lead to 5-2.
Soon after, Thailand also got a chance to play with an extra player. Arwid Per Makinen led the way by hitting the net from his point position. Slovenia, however, had no intention of letting Thailand close the gap, and at 18:28, Luka Podobnik sealed the match by scoring Slovenia’s sixth goal, making it 6-3. Thailand managed to score a late goal, but there wasn’t enough time to recover Slovenia’s lead. The final score of the match was written 6-4.
Sweden – Germany
The first quarterfinal of the evening was played between Sweden and Germany. The tension was high from start, and there was no doubt that neither Sweden nor Germany intended to give up without a fight.
The stands were filled with blue-and-yellow supporters, but Germany also had fans present. Cheering and drumming sounds echoed across the arena, and suddenly, the Swedish supporters erupted into deafening cheers when Sweden scored their first goal in the sixth minute. However, it didn’t take long before Germany responded and equalized to 1-1, a score that held until the end of the period.
Already a few seconds into the second period, Sweden scored their second goal of the evening and regained the lead. After that, the Swedes continued to apply high pressure forward but struggled to get the ball into the net. When the referee blew the whistle to end the period, the score was still 1-2 in Sweden’s favor.
The intense battle continued in the third period, and when Germany managed to equalize again, the tension in the arena was palpable. Suddenly, both teams had everything to play for.
Despite the pressure on the home nation, the Swedes managed to keep their nerves under control, and when Gabriel Kohonen found the top corner after just over 13 minutes of play, their confidence was restored. A couple of minutes later, Sweden extended their lead to 4-2. Germany made a final attempt to reach the dream of a semifinal, but with an open goal, they became vulnerable, and Sweden could seal the win with a final decisive goal. The win also guarantees advancement to The World Games 2025.
Czechia – Slovakia
The tournament’s second quarterfinal was played between Czechia and Slovakia on Thursday evening. Right from the start, the Czechia team shifted into high gear, and in less than eight minutes, they had already scored 3-0. They continued to maintain a high level of play, and instead of slowing down, they delivered another impressive push during the final five minutes of the period. By the time of the break, Czechia had built a comfortable 6-0 lead.
In the second period, the Czechs continued to play with great confidence and control over the game. After just over seven minutes, they had the opportunity to extend their lead further with a power play, but Slovakia managed to clear the situation. It seemed like Slovakia was about to turn the tide, but the Czechs quickly regained possession and even managed to add another goal before the end of the period.
In the third period, just like in the first and second, it was the Czechia that controlled the game. With great passing combinations and physical strength in close battles, they remained unchallenged throughout the 60 minutes.
Before the final whistle, they managed to score two more goals. After Czech goalkeeper Tomas Jurco had kept a clean sheet for 56 minutes, Slovakia finally managed to get the ball in the net. The final score was thus 9-1. The victory in the quarterfinal also means that they have qualified to play in The World Games 2025.
