Swedish Coach Says US “Might Not Want to Face Us” in Women’s Hockey Semifinals
Sweden’s women’s ice hockey coach, Ulf Lundberg, made waves at the 2026 Winter Olympics by suggesting that the United States women's national ice hockey team might not want to face his Swedes in the Olympic semifinals — a bold statement before a high‑stakes matchup.
After Sweden’s commanding 2‑0 quarterfinal win over Czechia, Lundberg praised his youthful, fearless team and hinted that the Americans might see them as a tough challenge. “(The Americans) are just human beings,” Lundberg said, adding that it was “a fantastic challenge” and that he didn’t think the US wanted to meet Sweden at that stage.
This comment quickly grabbed attention because the US side entered the semifinals as overwhelming favourites. Led by coach John Wroblewski, the Americans had dominated their opponents throughout the tournament, outscoring teams by huge margins en route to the final four.
Wroblewski, asked about Lundberg’s remarks, responded calmly, saying the US squad was ready to play whoever came next and remained fully focused on their gold‑medal mission.
Despite Sweden’s confidence and excellent run to the semifinals, the matchup proved difficult. In the semis, the US team went on to win decisively, further proving their status as strong Olympic contenders.
Comments
Post a Comment