It was supposed to be just a classic pre-match routine. First the anthem of the Finns, who were listed as the visiting team in the match report, and then Kde domov můj. But “error 404, Czech national anthem not found”.
The winter stadium in Landshut, which also hosted the U18 World Cup in the spring, played the Danish anthem instead. The women from the North are also playing in the five-nation tournament, and in the evening they had a fight with the home team. But the organizers played the anthem several hours earlier than it should have been.
Error 404, Czech national anthem not found. ❌
🇨🇿 The German organizers played the Danish national anthem before the match for the Czech hockey players. 🇩🇰😐🎥 CT sport pic.twitter.com/gt1gJKn27q
— Matej Vybíral (@Matavyb) November 8, 2023
The confused Czechs looked at each other in disbelief. Some took the faux paux with understandable sour expressions, but defender Dominika Lásková and others, for example, were laughing from ear to ear. Only after 40 long seconds did the organizers realize that something was wrong, and they turned off the music.
The players obediently waited on the blue line for a few tens of seconds, but they did not get to hear the Czech national anthem. However, the national team got off to a great start to the unconventional event and scored three goals in the first period. Attackers Noemi Neubauerová, Denisa Křížová and Michaela Pejzlová made their mark.
Although the Finns did not give up and in the 33rd minute they beat goalkeeper Peslarová for the first time, who returned to the national team after a long-term injury last year, and even reduced the difference to only one goal in the third part. Three seconds before the end, however, Adéla Šapovalivová sealed the victory for Carly MacLeod’s wards with a shot into the open goal.
At the tournament, the bronze medalists from the last two world championships will face Denmark on Friday from 15:00 and on Saturday from 14:30 the host Germany.
German Women’s Ice Hockey Cup in Landshut: Czech Republic – Finland 4:2 (3:0, 0:1, 1:1) Goals: 8. Neubauerová, 12. Křížová, 19. Pejzlová, 60. Šapovalivová – 33. Savanderová, 46. Nylundová .