For the first time in six years, Sweden's bandy team has lost a WM match. Host nation Finland turned an early 0-2 deficit into a 4-3 victory in the group final in Pori. The loss means a tougher semifinal against Norway for Sweden.
Sweden's bandy team led 2-0 against Finland after just a few minutes in Saturday's group final at the bandy World Championship in Pori. Despite the strong start, the Finns turned the match around to win 4-3. The decisive goal came from Emil Fedorov in the 86th minute, making him the match's big hero.
The loss is Sweden's first in a WM in six years. The last defeat was in the 2019 WM final against Russia. This year, Finland shows that Swedish gold is not guaranteed, especially in front of home fans.
Now, Sweden faces a tougher path to the final. In the semifinal on Saturday, the blue and yellow will meet Norway instead of the USA, whom they beat 17-2 recently. Sweden defeated Norway 12-1 on Wednesday, but a loss would still be a sensation.