DAY 6: WFC Enters Quarterfinal Stage, Switzerland and Czech Republic in Action – 06.12.2018

After a bit of relaxed Wednesday’s program the World Championship returns in high style. The fans will see six matches and they spend the virtually whole day with floorball. The highlights of the sixth match day will be the matches at the O2 Arena. First, it will host the quarterfinal between Switzerland and Norway at 16:30 and the Wednesday’s program will be closed there by the home team’s match against Denmark.

The home players overcame Switzerland in front of the decently filled O2 Arena in a direct battle for the first place in group A on Thursday and put an end to speculations that arose after their surprising loss against Latvia. Czech floorball fans can come to the country’s largest arena at 19:30 to watch the Thursday’s final duel of Petri Kettunen’s team against Denmark.

The other Thursday’s quarterfinal is the clash between Switzerland and Norway. It will open the program at the O2 Arena at 16:30. A very good attendance is expected at this match too, just like at the one with the Czech team. The Czech fans are attacking the championship attendance record and it is very likely it will be broken soon. Switzerland meets Norway regularly and so far all encounters were won by the team from the centre of Europe. The last head-to-head meeting at the world championship in 2016 ended with Swiss victory 7-2.

Interesting floorball matches are also scheduled at the Arena Sparta in Podvinný Mlýn. Today’s program will be opened by the Asian battle between Singapore and Thailand. Although neither of the teams had the best of results in the group stage, their encounter should bring a close and dramatic game. The Singaporeans will definitely want to make up for the eighteen-goal debacle against Slovakia in the final match in group D. The evenly balanced head-to-head record is also proved by the last matches between the two teams. Singapore won the first one, but Thailand came back soon with an answer and defeated the players from the city-state on the shores of the Indian Ocean.

Shortly after the match between Singapore and Thailand, the Arena Sparta will welcome the teams of Poland and Japan. Japan lost all three group-stage matches, including two double-digit defeats. Poland, on the other hand, played three tight matches but poor finishing cost them better results. A win by the European favorite is expected here as well, but the head-to-head record includes only one match back from 2008 when Poland won 6-4.

Podvinný Mlýn will be floorball’s epicenter in the afternoon as well. From 15:30 the Arena Sparta will host the match between Australia and Slovakia, who lost their play-off matches on Wednesday. The Slovaks, despite sailing through their group like a high-speed train, didn’t manage to beat Latvia. The Australians were shut-out by Norway and suffered a 0-10 loss. Despite this, the Australians fulfilled all floorball expectations, advanced to the play-offs for the first time ever and even if they lose to Slovakia, they will definitely consider this championship a success.

The fourth and final match at Arena Sparta will feature Canada and Estonia. Both teams, similarly to Australia and Slovakia, lost their play-off matches yesterday. The favorites will be the Estonians, who crushed Canada 16-4 in their last meeting at the world championship in 2016 in Latvia. However, the North Americans made a significant floorball progress in the past two years, so the fans at Arena Sparta may watch an interesting game.


World Floorball Championships – 6th December:

Singapore – Thailand 9:30, Arena Sparta

Poland – Japan 12:30, Arena Sparta

Australia – Slovakia 15:30, Arena Sparta

Switzerland – Norway 16:30, O2 Arena

Canada – Estonia 18:30, Arena Sparta

Czech Republic – Denmark 19:30, O2 Arena