The second day of the World Junior Floorball Championship 2021 delivered a game between Finland and Latvia, in which many great moments appeared and what’s more, the Latvian audience was great too. It took 29 minutes for Finland to break down its opponent, as Latvia was really tenacious, but Finns finally took a win 14:4 and achieved a second win in a row here in Brno.
The first period of this game was balanced and full of reverses and even if the first goal was scored in the third minute, the main action came after that. Firstly, the Finns literally melted down the Latvian defensive line with many first-touch passes and a goal to the empty net, but then, only twelve seconds later it was Latvians who got the chance. In a situation 2 on 1, a great stop by a Finnish goalkeeper Aki Karjalainen was made and Latvia was still losing 0:2 then.
Hard times for Finnish players came back again in the 12th minute of the match, as Latvians played with a double advantage – six players against four – which they used for their first goal in this game. To make things way worse a goal post behind a Finnish goalkeeper jingled fourteen seconds after this goal and it could be a really bad moment for Finland.
It was a really tough battle for the Finnish national team, as the Latvians fought bravely. It was probably the 29th minute that decided this match because at this moment Finland scored its fifth goal and got into a lead 5:2.
Finland 14:4 Latvia (2:1), (7:2), (5:1)
goals: 3. Joel Lahtinen, 6. Oskari Tenho, 24. Alpo Laitila, 27. Oliver Sillanpää, 29. Oliver Sillanpää, 32. Alpo Laitila, 34. Oliver Sillanpää, 39. Tatu Havula, 40. Samuli Junnila, 43. Tatu Havula, 46. Matti Minkkinen, 50. Joel Lahtinen, 56. Matti Minkkinen, 60. Waltteri Vesterinen – 13. Armands Savins, 28. Rudolfs Vilmanis, 38. Sandis Lēvalds, 59. Daniels Janis Anis; referees: Jakub Furmánek – Vlastimil Šolc; penalties: 1:8; powerplay goals: 6:0; spectators: 343; saves: Aki Karjalainen 9 – Klaids Maļcevs 7, Kristians Ralfs Lavendels 13; after periods: 2:1, 7:2, 5:1;