The key reason why I traveled to Switzerland on Saturday, 6th January 2024, was the match between UH Lejon Zäzwil and Red Lions Frauenfeld. The guests brought Hungarian former international Dorina Kiss, who I hadn’t seen playing for quite a while. With Eniko Nanasi, there was even a second player at Frauenfeld from my favorite floorball country. The match-up looked rather one-sided for the hosts, though. While Frauenfeld fought against a terrible 2023/24 season so far, Zäziwil had a very strong and pleasing time after 14 matches, being in the Top 3 of the Swiss Nationalliga B table.
This posting comes with a section of 411 major size pictures in the sports galleries.
Zäziwil – Frauenfeld – Match Report
The SLM Arena in Konolfingen saw a surpsingly close first period. The Red Lions Frauenfeld showed a brave performance and also managed to have some reasonable scoring opportunities on their side. However, Zäziwil did feel like being the better team. Even a short-handed situation after Corale Landmesser had been sent to the sin bin did not create that much of danger to the Zäziwil goal.
You have to state, though that the third party in the rink got more and more attention. Let’s say the way the referees communicated and took decisions was creative. There was also an inflationary usage of the No Goal sign and a Played Ball gesture above the head of the umpires, which I could only jokingly see as a hint that this match was played on Epiphany and thus they wanted to tell us that Jesus was born and they followed a star. There was not too much going on on the sports side. Zäziwil, however, took the lead in the 12th minute. A Michelle Fankhauser shot hit the bar, went straight up and bounced down just in front of the goal with so much spin that it felt to go into the net just by floorball magic.
No Goals in the Second Period
There were not too many scoring opportunities on either side, neither at the end of the first period nor during the second. Unfortunately, the men in blue more and more took over the entertaining factor in this NLB match in the second period. The only entry to the match report was by Nanasi, who had a two minute penalty after 78 seconds. The time was ticking down. Zäziwil overall created more pressure, but Frauenfeld did a disciplined defense and cruised to the second intermission, also slightly profiting that the too often random-alike umpiring was slightly in their favor during that part of the match.
Frauenfeld Ties the Score
Zäziwil just did not manage to convert their chances – and then you sometimes run into the magical moment of the underdog. The Latvian international Kate Meldere tied the score in the 47th minute after a left-wing attack driven by Cecile Müller. The goal lead to a quicker, but also more hectic match, in which the hosts felt to control the match without putting too much struggle on the very convincing Stefanie Schwendener.
On the other side, the changed match speed lead to some really decent attacks by Schwendener’s team, so that finally, the third period could have ended with any score. Also due to the fact that the match had less nervous situations towards the end, the score stayed tied, so that the Konolfingen crowd had a short break before the ten minute sudden death overtime.
Leonie Mai with the Brightest Smile in Overtime
The overtime was definitely one of these boring, tactical ten minutes facing towards a final decisions. Both teams had some good opportunities. Thus, finally, it was clear that no matter who will not win this won, goes back home with some sorts of sportman headache. The painkiller for UH Lejon Zäziwil finally was Leonie Mai. Selina Dominguez somehow pushed the ball from the right wing in the slot, where Mai had an easy conversion with just some one minute left on the overtime match clock.
Zäziwil – Frauenfeld – My View of the Match
SLM Arena hosted a much more thrilling women floorball match than I expected. Unfortunately, the referees were too much in focus, especially in the first two periods. Just to get me right: There is no point in blaming them. And I am sure they have been the best pairing available for that match on that day. You should, however, blame the federation and the Swiss floorball community. This match in one of the four Swiss top divisions would have deserved a lead which is in line with the level and quality of the match. If you cannot deliver that as an umpire, you are a victim of the situation. Not only in Switzerland, but in many other countries as well.
Thus, I still remember some weird situations and basic technical faults over a great and fascinating floorball battle. That’s simply unfortunate. We all need to do better to give these ladies conditions they deserve.
Zäziwil – Frauenfeld – Lineups
UH Lejon Zäziwil: 55 Joelle Laura Schaad, 69 Elina Jeige – 4 Flavia Siegrist, 7 Simea Wälchli, 9 Laura Quattrini,12 Uthaya Urnaparan, 14 Sandra Briggen, 15 Vanessa Schmid, 16 Aline Götz, 17 Selina Dominguez, 18 Michelle Kunz, 19 Lea Schlatter, 21 Livia Zumstein, 22 Elisha Aeschlimann, 23 Michelle Fankhauser, 24 Coralie Landmesser, 25 Hannah Gurtner, 26 Leonie Mai, 27 Anna Ramseier, 28 Jana Zwahlen, 45 Sina Duner, 56 Anna Reber
UH Red Lions Frauenfeld: 83 Stefanie Schwendener, 25 Vanessa Disch – 3 Kate Meldere, 5 Stefanie Meister, 7 Christine Allenspach, 8 Michele Diethelm, 10 Dorina Kiss, 11 Viviane Lenz, 12 Alissa Hollenstein, 15 Annina Schalch, 17 Pearl-Alanis George, 19 Rebecca Harder, 21 Nadine Stamm, 22 Ariana Steiger, 24 Eniko Nanasi, 27 Nicole Haag, 29 Rebecca Gmünder, 43 Livia Müggler, 55 Nadine Stauffer, 70 Maura Madrun, 94 Cecile Müller
Zäziwil – Frauenfeld – Gallery
In the sports gallery, there is a designated major size picture gallery with 411 pictures of this match at
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