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TAMMERFORS. So we have finally come to the point where everything must be decided.
There are only two options now in a sports world lacking in grayscale.
Losing against Latvia is another failure.
This victory could pave the way for a dream final against Finland.
It’s time for heroes.
Sam Hallam was lucky in the final group match against the United States, which saw the Swedes drop to second place in the group.
I’d rather face Latvia than face the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals any day of the week.
Latvia is the lowest ranked team out of the eight in the qualifiers, and prior to this tournament they were 11th in the official International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rankings.
Behind Denmark and just ahead of Norway.
This says a lot.
Sweden should win this, even without Rasmus Sandin and Andre Peterson.
Otherwise, they head home with another fiasco stamp and before the fun begins.
The only advantage Latvia has is that behind it they will have an equally packed and fanatical Arena Riga stadium behind them.
And hockey fans cannot live like Latvians.
Strong public pressure
I still remember the ringing in my ears after every match in the 2006 World Cup.
The good old days, when Sweden made history by taking the World Cup gold a few months after taking Olympic gold in Turin, becoming the first to win both tournaments in the same season.
The same one that Finland ran last year.
So Riga should provide good vibes, and although the Latvians will have the crowd with them, Sam Hallam and Sweden have the sporting advantages of being the home team.
Above all, to be able to match the team as it wants, the home team being able to replace its players last.
Now I sit and think about who has the potential to become champions in this Swedish team.
After all, I compared Tre Kronor today to Finland, where Sam Hallam used the same concept that made Jukka Jalonen so successful.
A group of home players who, instead of bringing in a group of stars from the NHL, managed to screw up the playing system over an entire season.
He created a symbol with Finn Marco Antilla, a two-meter-tall man with the ability to advance in critical situations.
An entirely unlikely hero in these contexts.
The Swedes’ lack of superiority is evident in this tournament, so it is important to have a basic game that works flawlessly, while someone steps forward and scores the required goals.
The most obvious name that comes to mind is, of course, the youngest ever debutant in Sweden’s World Cup finals.
Eighteen-year-old Leo Carlson was ahead in the match against the United States with two goals.
He is already the youngest Swede’s ever World Cup scorer and now chases Peter Forsberg’s six points (4+2) at Prague 1992 to claim the title of youngest World Cup scorer.
Leo up to three goals and two assists so far,
Or is the mound with the appearance of a field master who will be the hero?
Henrik Tömmernes has been the best defender to date and his 10 assists give him an edge in the Swedish Indoor League’s scoring lead.
I’m starting to lean towards Tommernes and possibly overtake Linus Omark as the SHL’s top signing for next season, now that he’s back in Frölunda after all his years in Switzerland.
Where he is a new champion with Omark, by the way, with Geneve-Servette.
If even some heroes were needed against Latvia.
You have better teams
Sweden is better than the Latvians in every position, with many of the team members being all-Swedes and the most famous name being Örebro – soon to be Rögle’s – Rodrigo Apollos Centre.
At the same time, I was part of even greater sensations than if Latvia would advance to the semi-finals.
But the possibility is still small.
I personally stayed in Tampere to witness the hottest quarter-final between Finland and Canada.
I’m sure the Swedes will land here again soon.
Sweden meets Latvia – it’s all about the Tre Kronor match in the Hockey World Cup quarter-finals