Norway — Norway is a Nordic country in Northern Europe containing a land size of 385,207 km2, consisting of a population of 5.3 million people. The official language of the country is Norwegian.
Estonia — Estonia, aka the Republic of Estonia, the country is located in Northern Europe containing a land size 45,227 km2. The official language of the country is Estonian.
One of the first games in the first round of 32 finds Mehis Heinsaar’s Death among the Icebergs pitted against powerhouse Journey toward the Island by Laila Stein.
Heinsaar’s Death among the Icebergs is written from the perception of an omniscient narrator, allowing the audience to know what the characters think. The whistle blows — it’s kick-off! Immediately, the Estonians gain momentum to catch the Norwegians off guard, who is still half asleep, easily penetrating through their midfielders. Conchita, the protagonist of Death among the Icebergs finally ends up on “the Land of the Giant”! The last line of Norwegian’s defence has faltered and Estonia scores! The crowd goes wild, jumping out of their seats as they applaud and roar in the 5th minute.
With the game pursuing into the 45th minute, the Norwegian’s “hauled” a “barrier” which was “set in advance” through their formation. They just needed possession of the ball to prevail against the Norwegians. Norway strikes! “This was a solemn moment” for the defenders and as the glared at the ball reflecting off the post and into the hands of the goalkeeper. Counterattack! The Estonians “cast quick glances at each other. Steadily drawing away is everything of significance, everything upon which their life depends.” Dashing up the field, they were “too fast” with “their feet” taking a clean strike, with a nice finesse into the top right corner. A goal in the final moments of the first half!
After the break, the Norwegian’s attitude took a capricious turn with the contempt to not only win but to annihilate their opponents. Heinsaar establishes Conchita’s love for Aale as she observes him daily, her heart throbs and falls in love with the “giant of a man” with “fair frizzy hair, a large nose, and sky-blue eyes”. She had never felt this way before and as Aale attempted to talk to her, she was “unable to venture and reply” running away in tears. She was certain she fell in love tramping around Aale’s seaside house during the night, enabling her to hear his “peaceful snoring” which infuriated her she started to kick the wall of his house. However, their relationship escalates as they developed “frenzied passion and the urge to melt into each other, to disappear into one another” eventually reaching “their climax, collapsing on the floor in a mutual embrace, streams of hot water and pale semen flowing down along their thighs, enraptured exhaustion on their faces.” The crowd goes steaming wild! 2–1 back in favour of the Norwegians!
However, as the final moment's headways, the Norwegians respond but lacked the confidence to take gambles. The climax of Journey towards the Islands slowly emerges the reader’s suspension as the story takes a drastic shift. Instead of hunting animals that lurk within the seas, they’re the ones that are being hounded on. Chaos occurs. Helping each other out? Not a chance. Their souls had been sucked out, with only their cowardly attitude residing, “the desperate preservation”. The men of the boats begged their rowers, clamouring them to “row hard, row for all they’re worth” since their lives depended on it. With every ounce and muscle, they continue to row, with the tension rising, nicely aided by the visual descriptions utilised by Stein throughout her piece. Eventually, they manage to shake the whales off, as they recede into the depths of the ocean, but the men are disheartened, scared and demoralised. Oh no! The Norwegians have run out of hope and energy as the final minute of the game approaches, in a similar fashion to the story! In desperation, the striker attempts a shot from the halfway line, in hopes of catching the keeper off guard, but it was ceased in vain. Estonia’s defence resembled a solid wall, their goalkeeper had the eyes of an hawk. The final whistle blows! The game ends 2–1 in favour of Estonia! The Norwegians — the fan favourites, had fallen short in the first round.
