Andersen to Miss Denmark’s Olympic Opener Against U.S.
Frederik Andersen, Denmark’s top goaltender, will not start in the Olympic opener against Team USA on Saturday. Coach Mikael Gath made this announcement following practice on Friday. The match is set for 3:10 p.m. ET at Santagiulia Arena.
Denmark’s Strategy Ahead of Olympic Opener
Denmark’s decision to bench Andersen is strategic. Gath aims to reserve the goalie for a potentially easier match, enabling a better chance of advancing in the tournament. The team is considered an underdog against the United States.
Previous Game Performance
Andersen played against Team Germany, where he made 23 saves. Denmark lost that game 3-1 at Rho Arena. The Danes face a challenging schedule, with back-to-back games.
Upcoming Matches and Tournament Format
Denmark will quickly shift focus to their next challenge against Team Latvia. This match is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. local time on Sunday at Rho Arena.
| Group C Standings | Team | Games Played | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1. | USA | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 3. | Denmark | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3. | Latvia | 1 | 0 | 1 |
In the Olympic tournament, twelve teams compete in three groups. Each team plays three preliminary round matches. The group winners and the best second-place team earn a bye into the quarterfinals. Other teams will compete in a qualification round to determine who advances.
Denmark must navigate these challenging games carefully, especially with two tough matches back-to-back. Coach Gath acknowledged the difficulty of the schedule, expressing concern over the tight timeframes for the team.
