First Saturday for TOKYO and EHF 2020

Germany vs Portugal and Slovenia vs Norway are today's matches to decide 5th place at the Euro in the lead up to the Olympics qualification and the bronze medal holders respectively.

Match reports to follow.

5^th place match = Germany vs Portugal

Both places are secured. 4^th at World Championships for Germany.

For automatic European place or OQT?

Portela, who plays with TREMBLAY had a decent tournament.

First half

Reichmann beats Quintana 3-1 (5’30)

Wolff is preferred to Bitter

A generous 7-meter helps Portugal to draw level 3-3 (8’)

Drux coming back from suspension goes to haunt Quintana with an average shot 6-4 (10’30)

Kastening inexplicably picks the wrong option and Portuguese keeper first save

MALOU number one fan with a Portugal flag!!!! According to PAUL BRAY.

Ferraz after his powerful shot gets a two-minute suspension, which means newcomer Zieker scores an easy goal 8-7 (15’15).

Quitana got away as Germany failed to make then pay.

I had already forgotten the Croatia – Germany match result and the Kolbacher miss, but Paul reminds us of how Croatia were behind most of the game, virtually all match and sneaked it at the end.

Strong play by number 4 from Germany and 2-goal lead now 10-8 (20’30)

Determination by gutsy Portugal to draw the game level after a missed penalty 11-11 (24’)

So SCHON music as a great goalkeeping display by WOLFF.

Huge steal and turnover to Germany ‘s demise. Portugal’s coming back 13-13 (26’30).

Germany gets the upper hand with fifteen seconds left on the clock thanks to Schmid 14-13 and this is the half-time result. 

Second half

I hate that 7-6 strategy when there is no 2-minute and I hate when Quintana gets lucky as well

After two misses by Salina, Kuhn gets Germany back in the lead with two goals 17-15 (34’45)

Direct goal by WOLFF so 3-goal lead a minute later.

But within seconds Branquinho gets the game level at 19-19 (39’)

Borges gets a great line play goal and it is now 20-20 (40’30). Earlier Silva had interrupted a potential goal

WOLFF gets his second goal but Borges immediately replies 21-21 (42’)

I never thought a diminished Germany team would struggle against Portugal.

Prade gets a subtle line player goal and Portugal could be leading and they do it via Borges 23-24 (46’30)

Germany now trailing by two! 24-26 (48’) but Kuhn comes up to the rescue 26-26 (50’40)

Extremely good save by Bitter on a nice piece of play by Portela (51’)

Another superb save by Bitter on a penalty (52’45)

At the start of the tournament the foul was a red card so lucky Cavalcanti with only a 2-minute suspension (54’)

Ferraz pulls back one for Portugal 28-27 (57’)

Salina misses as Bitter makes a superb save (59’20). 

Still a 2-goal lead with less than 20 seconds left. Germany won 29-27. Portugal’s best ever finish. Scary.

Slovenia vs Norway

He usually says see you then and yet he says GOODBYE!!!!

It is grey. My hands are cold. My forearms in tatters. I am sad. I am feeling frustrated.

This time I am for Slovenia.

Slovenia, we went to their capital for a few hours. I missed out on beautiful stamps because I did not want to spend. Sounds such a long time ago. So many things happened since that euro 2 years ago.

I feel out of sort hearing this music and not being in the media zone nor with the other fans.

I am also tired of hearing the same music all over.

The show is too loud for me and not handball related

Hot chocolate fever as if I was still in Copenhagen or in the Malmo factories. 

First half

Vranjes decides not to have Dolenec nor Bombac at the start.

Johannessen scores Norway’s first goal after just over 1 min

Machovsek manages to score at the near post to draw the match level

Hit and miss this match. Very unlike what you would expect from a bronze medal match.

Joendal is a gifted player and draws Norway level 2-2 (7’20).

What a huge favour by the German referee. That goal 62 by SAGOSEN is really controversial. This is where Lubomir should have asked the refs to check the VAR monitor. Ferlin makes a beautiful standing leg save (10’30)

They should scrap that empty goal rule.

It is a low scoring affair 3-4 to Norway (13’20)
Reinkind has the perfume of goals as he perforates the light Slovenian defense 4-5 (15’)

The refs are lenient towards Norway but very harsh on Slovenia.
It is really not a great match. There is a training session feel to it. Lacklustre is a bit harsh MATE.
Janc gets a 2-minute instead of a yellow card. That is not fair. In the meantime, the

micro-wave wreaks havoc with the live match. Norway benefited from their man advantage as they lead 5-7 (20’55)

OVERBY……helped…..3-goal lead (22’). ANNOYING Oslo boys.

I wonder why Finland does not play handball. I don’t mind Sweden but I do not like Denmark nor Norway. 

Annoying Norway are STILL leading by 3 8-11 (26’25), 9-12 (29’35)

Poor handling at a key time when only a few seconds left on the clock.

It is a goalkeepers' challenge at the minute.

Second half

I am now tired. I feel I am eating without the need to do so.

Both keepers have a percentage in excess of 40% at the interval, which is phenomenal.

Sagosen is out of depth at this match.

Bergerud on the other end is impeccable.

Already two mins in and Norway have an opportunity to be +6. Sadly.

And the BERGERUD show continues.

SAGOSEN extends lead beautifully to 7 goals 9-16 (35’45)

Now that Norway get a 8-goal lead suddenly Norway are getting a double suspension….. (38’)
It took seven minutes for Slovenia to score and that was a 7-meter. Finally, a goal on open play for Slovenia 11-17 (39’30)

The deficit is being reduced: 13-18 (43’)
Wry smile because it is a cheap penalty to Norway’s help and I am glad he missed his penalty but he unfortunately picked up the loose ball. Lucky Norway. (44’)

Bjornshen is a poisonous nightmare as the gap widens again to a 6-goal advantage 14 - 20 (47’)
Christiensen saves DOLENEC penalty. His opposite number SAGOSEN scores an easy one. His number 65, clearly overcoming LAZAROV record and it now reads 14 – 21 (49’)

Bombac picks up the loose ball and it is only 16 - 21 (51’)

8-goal slaughter suddenly! Goring GOREAN : 16 - 23 (52')

Losing by 7 goals with 7 minutes left.
Johanessen ensures a 9-goal lead with just over five minutes left on the clock. GAME OVER !

Funny goal by JANC on the counter making it 19 -26 (56’)

Gullerud scores a beauty but that means a bronze medal for Norway.

It now reads 20 – 28 with just over one minute left and that’s the final score.

Bergerud managed to keep his stats in excess of 40% during the entire match !