WC hockey 2023 | Sweden – Latvia 1:3. Another sensation in Riga, the home team awaits a historic semi-final

Former Zlín striker Rihards Bukarts assisted on all of Latvia’s goals. Striker Miks Indrašis and defender Janis Jaks scored the goal and the assist. The Latvians scored two decisive goals in the third period, which the teams entered at 1:1. The Swedes last made it to the top four at the World Cup in 2019.

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Latvia, buoyed by a raucous crowd, took the lead in the 13th minute. Cibulskis shot wide, but Rihards Bukarts took the puck, put it in front of the goal and Dans Ločmelis opened the scoring. Tre kronor equalized in the middle of the match. Raymond created space for Timothy Liljegren, who beat Šilovs with a shot under the crossbar.

In the 37th minute, Dzierkals was suspended for five minutes plus until the end of the match for a stab with the end of the stick, but the Swedes did not take advantage of the long numerical advantage.

At the end of the third period, Grundström got the puck into the net with a high stick, and the referees called off the goal after watching replays.

Indrašis returned the lead to the Latvians in the 46th minute. The 32-year-old forward took the puck from Rihards Bukarts, threw it between the legs of Pär Lindholm and delighted the spectators in the Riga hall for the second time with a shot over Lars Johansson’s rebounder.

In the 54th minute, Latvia added insurance when Jaks’ shot from the blue fell to the Swedish goalkeeper between the concretes. In the end, the favorite risked a game without a goalkeeper, but he did not prevent a surprising elimination.