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Co-hosts Sweden book quarter-final berth

20 Jan. 2023

Co-hosts Sweden book quarter-final berth

Sweden claimed their fifth consecutive win at the World Championship and booked their ticket for the quarter-finals. Andreas Palicka between the posts became a nightmare for Iceland's attackers and helped his team to seal the comfortable win in front of more than 10,000 chanting fans in the Scandinavium Arena.

Main Round Group II

Iceland vs Sweden 30:35 (16:17)

Iceland started the match without team captain Aron Pálmarsson in the squad list due to a calf injury, and Björgvin Páll Gústavsson took over the captain's band. On the other side, Tobias Thulin was back in the squad instead of Mikael Appelgren and started between the posts for Sweden.

A blistering start for Sweden as Lucas Pellas delivered his second goal of the day for a 3:0 lead. Strong defence on both sides, which was very good, seen with two torn jerseys in only seven minutes of the match.

The Swedish 6-0 defence was working well against the powerful Icelandic attack, holding onto the lead, but it came with a consequence. Max Darj, an important defensive player, was already on two two-minute suspensions after only ten minutes.

Iceland responded, holding their positions tight, making Sweden go into the passive play and narrowing the gap to 6:8 with an admirable near-post goal by the competition's top scorer, Bjarki Már Elísson.

Viktor Gísli Hallgrímsson took over the goalkeeper role and, with two straight saves, helped Iceland make a 3:0 run. The Icelanders set a 13:11 lead and left Sweden without a goal for five minutes, making Glenn Solberg angry and ready for the first time-out.

Just like the opponents, Sweden also changed the goalkeepers and immediately Andreas Palicka stopped the Icelandic attack, leaving the room for two straight Felix Claar's goals for 14:15. With the same one-goal lead, Sweden went into the break with the luck that Gisli Þorgeir Kristjánsson's attempt with the buzzer hit the post.

What a start to the second part it was. Palicka with a nice save, but it ended in a wrestling mode with Elliði Snær Viðarsson for the ball, earning a two-minute suspension for both of them. You don't see that every day. And Tobias Thulin understood the assignment, came between the posts and made a double-save.

It allowed the Swedish team to take their first four-goal lead in the match, additionally pumping the fans in the packed Scandinavium Arena. Iceland kept the high-paced game, trying to shift the momentum, but Palicka returned and said not here, not today with two mouth-dropping saves that even left Guðmundur Guðmundsson in disbelief.

Seven minutes before the end, Sweden was in front by six and was on course for victory and a quarter-final spot. Iceland could only give their best to soothe the defeat, and they tried that with a 5-1 defence. However, the co-hosts did not slow down and Kristján Örn Kristjánsson scored with the buzzer for the final score and to narrow the final gap to 30:35.

Sweden joined Spain and France in the quarter-finals and can now be more relaxed in the last match of the Main Round against Portugal. Iceland will have to recover from the defeat and win against Brazil, as everything is still on the table for the second quarter-final ticket.

hummel Player of the Match: Andreas Palicka (Sweden)