The team captain had to flee to the other side of the temporary ice rink at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena twice after warm-ups and before the second period.
“I made my way there,” says Anna Kjellbin with a smile.
There was mostly calm and joy on the ice as Sweden turned a 0-1 lead into a 4-1 win against Germany – but there was unexpected drama before and during the game, which their Premier opponents tried to use to their advantage.
The toilet in our own changing room could not be used because it was blocked and filled to the brim.
When the Swedes asked If they were allowed to use the Germans’ toilet, the answer would be no.
– They refused – but they were allowed to try it later. “It actually made us a little angry,” says two-goal scorer Lina Ljungblom – one of the victims of the toilet drama – and laughs.
She adds:
– You also have to be able to go to the toilet. But we still handled it well and won the match. Maybe next time they’ll lend it out.
There have been reports of stomach discomfort in the Olympic Village in the last 24 hours. For example, the Finnish women’s national ice hockey team’s game against Canada on Thursday night was postponed because it cannot field a full team.
So some understanding There is support for the German decision – but it was still incoherent, says Anna Kjellbin.
– I respect that. But I still think we would have handled it differently.
– I actually think we would have borrowed our toilet if it had been the other way around, but they didn’t.
Fortunately, the problem was solved before the third period – when Sweden made the game 4-1 with Thea Johansson’s goal and arranged a dream start to the Olympic tournament.
– It was karma, says Lina Ljungblom.
In the next game on Saturday, Sweden will face hosts Italy in the newly built and much larger Santagiulia Arena. Hopefully with functioning facilities.
Read more:
Malin Fransson: A debut victory that can change the future
From sickbed to Premier League hero – a dream start for Sweden at the Olympics
