Thursday, 28. January 2010
Vienna: Iceland makes it to the semi final.
credit: Silvio Ferrari
The game Norway-Iceland started very quickly, Iceland scored first and because of that, Norway had to equalize every goal of Iceland until Norway’s number 10 Tvedten caught up by a well-placed seven metre shot (6:5). So it was Iceland’s turn, to equalize Norway’s goals. While the stands were filling up, Iceland showed a brilliant fast break while they played with two men less. (15th minute)
Due to a seven-meter penalty by number 10, Gudjónsson and a goal of number 7, Atlason, Iceland led by three goals for the first time in this game. But Norway wouldn’t give up as they managed some pick-ups and equalized in minute 28. (16:16). Nevertheless they couldn’t keep that level and in the end of the first half Iceland was leading by two.
Norway could equalize in the middle of the first half (48.) and even managed to get the lead (49.) for a short time, but only a minute later three goals by (Petersson, Svavarsson und Atlason) made it a three goal lead for Iceland again.
Thirty seconds before the end of the game, Iceland’s coach Gudmundur Gudmundsson took a team-timeout and although Norway took another chance with a seven-meter penalty, they lost by one goal 34:35.
Robert HEDIN (coach, Norway): “Iceland played a better game. We missed some of the goals from the wing, it was a very tough game, we did some technical mistakes but we were leading for some minutes. It’s difficult to tell what was missing to win. Small things, but Iceland deserves the victory.”
Frank LOKE (player Norway, number 5): “We’ve proven what we can do, we are very close, we have to build this team and we will see –next time in Sweden –maybe we will win.”
Gudmundur GUDMUNDSSON (coach, Iceland): “We fought for a victory, we wanted the victory and we got it. But I have to say, this is one of the best Norway-teams, it was very difficult to play against them, to defend them. It was a very tough game and now we are hungry for the finals.”
Vignir SVAVARSSON (player Iceland, number 2): “I think we played well, I had the feeling, that we would win. We were leading by two, three goals most of the time and so we won.”
