Finland's norovirus situation appears to be improving ahead of scheduled game against the US

MILAN (AP) — The situation with the Finland women’s hockey team appears to be improving after an outbreak of norovirus depleted its roster and forced the postponement of its first game at the Olympics, and officials are optimistic the game Saturday against the U.S. will be played as scheduled.

Eleven skaters and all three goaltenders took part in practice Friday in the aftermath of Finland’s opener against Canada getting pushed to Feb. 12. That is up from eight skaters and two goalies on the ice Thursday when the remaining 13 players were either infected or in quarantine.

“We still have nine players isolated, but we strongly believe we will play tomorrow," general manager Kimmo Oikarinen said, adding that 14 skaters could be available. “It is getting better. Forfeit is the last thing we want to do. I don’t believe we will go there. I do not see that happening.”

Coach Tero Lehtera said: "We will play the USA, no matter what.”

The stomach illness began spreading earlier this week, and practice Wednesday was canceled. The team has been in limbo since.

“It was disappointing," Oikarinen said. "It is the Olympic Games, and we have been waiting for this for years. We all wanted to play, but there are things that happen. The main focus was to make sure our players will be healthy as soon as possible.”

Down two goals nearly midway through the third period, Switzerland scored twice in the final 11 minutes of regulation and beat the Czech Republic 4-3 in a shootout. Ivana Wey beat Michaela Hesova in the eighth round of the shootout to win it.

Alina Muller started the comeback, and Lara Christen tied it with 2:20 left. The Czechs had gone up 3-1, but it could have been an even bigger margin if not for Switzerland goaltender Saskia Maurer, who stopped 33 of the 36 shots she faced in regulation and overtime and the final three in the shootout.

It was Switzerland's opening game, while the Czechs have now lost back-to-back games after a 5-1 setback against the United States on Thursday.

Makoto Ito scored with 3:30 left to break a 1-all tie, and Japan beat France 3-2. Japan went up two 1:20 later on Suzuka Maeda's goal, and Gabrielle de Serres scored her second in as many games with 13 seconds left.

It was Japan's first game of the tournament, while France lost on back-to-back days following a defeat to host Italy on Thursday.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Japan's Shiori Koike and her teammates celebrate after a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between France and Japan at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Switzerland's Laura Zimmermann, center, celebrates after scoring her side's opening goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Switzerland and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Czechia's Kristyna Kaltounkova, left, falls over Switzerland's Saskia Maurer while scoring her sides first goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Switzerland and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (David W Cherny/Pool Photo via AP)

Czechia's forward Vendula Pribylova, left, fights for the puck with Switzerland's forward Leoni Balzer during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Switzerland and Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Wikus De Wet/Pool Photo via AP)

FILE - Finland celebrates winning the women's bronze medal hockey game against the team from Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Feb. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

A view of the Milano Santagiulia ice hockey arena, for the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

MADRID (AP) — Storm Leonardo continued to batter the Iberian Peninsula on Friday, bringing floods and putting rivers at risk of bursting their banks while thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Spain and Portugal.

In southern Spain's Andalusia region, some 7,000 people have had to leave their homes due to successive storms.

Among them were around 1,500 people ordered to evacuate the mountain village of Grazalema, where Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno warned that aquifers were "full to the brim with water,” and at risk of collapsing.

“It's raining on already saturated ground. The land is unable to drain," Moreno said. “We urge extreme caution. This is not over.”

Spanish police said Friday they had found a body located 1,000 meters (about 0.6 miles) away from where a woman had disappeared Wednesday after she fell into a river in Malaga province while trying to rescue her dog. Police said they had not yet identified the body, but believed it belonged to the 45 year-old woman.

Another storm front, Marta, was expected to arrive Saturday, with Spain's weather agency AEMET saying it would bring even more rain and heavy winds, including to areas already drenched by Storm Leonardo.

Marta is expected to affect Portugal, too.

Of particular concern was southern Spain's Guadalquivir River, which flows through Córdoba and Seville and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean, and whose water levels have dramatically risen in recent days.

Additional rain Saturday could leave many more homes at risk in Córdoba, local authorities warned.

In Portugal, parts of Alcacer do Sal were submerged after the Sado River overflowed, forcing residents to leave the city located 90 kilometers (about 56 miles) south of Lisbon.

Alerts were issued also for regions near the Tagus River due to rising water levels.

A separate storm in late January left a trail of destruction in Portugal, killing several people, according to Portuguese authorities.

A view of Alcácer do Sal, southern Portugal, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, after the Sado River overflowed following heavy rains. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)

Residents looks at a flooded street after the Sado River overflowed following heavy rains in Alcácer do Sal, southern Portugal, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)

A residents walks along a flooded street after the Sado River overflowed following heavy rains in Alcácer do Sal, southern Portugal, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)

Residents walk through a flooded street after the Sado River overflowed following heavy rains in Alcácer do Sal, southern Portugal, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)

Iria Afonso, 76, is carried on a chair by neighbors as she is evacuated from her flooded home after heavy rains caused the Sado River to overflow in Alcácer do Sal, southern Portugal, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)

The Guadalete River overflows its banks as it passes through Jerez de la Frontera, in southern Andalusia, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, as heavy rains across the country cause flooding in the region. (Rocio Ruz/Europa Press via AP)

The Guadalquivir River overflows its banks as it passes through Cordoba, in southern Andalusia, Spain, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, as heavy rains across the country cause flooding in the region. (Madero Cubero/Europa Press via AP)

View of the flooding in the town of Grazalema on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, affected by flooding during heavy rains that hit southern Andalusia. (Joaquín Corchero/Europa Press via AP)

View of the flooding in the town of San Martin del Tesorillo on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, affected by flooding during heavy rains that hit southern Andalusia. (Francisco J. Olmo/Europa Press via AP)