NORWAY / AUSTRIA / SWEDEN EHF 2020 Day One - Awaiting Saturday?

17.15 GMT 9 January 2020

Germany vs Netherlands

FIRST HALF
Second before the throw-in time I tell the colleagues all about travels, my handball love and poetry. I also see Marlene’s message. We are sad to be stuck in the UK

I enjoyed using my mobile data on the bus or waiting for the bus but it was not a good idea to unwind by Barnes station because it took us a lot to recover the website and also the bloody commuters do not let you have a lot of space and they do not get the same level of excitement

I am having Croatia Montenegro on the mobile and Spain Latvia on the PC.

From min 2 to min 3 the Netherlands were leading 2-0.

It is 2-2 after 5 minutes

Uwe get beaten by the keeper on 5.35 minutes

Boom stylish makes it 3-2

On 7 minutes finally Germany in front 4-3 as the Dutch team suffers an attackers’ foul. I am still hearing Paul Bray whilst I am desperately waiting for bus no.33

Easy attack in the middle with power play so that it is now 6-4 for Germany on 10 minutes.

And suddenly 8-4 on 12 minutes. What a turn by Wiencek leading to a 9-4 timeout.

BAG or BANG on time for a safe travel. Ah ha !!!

Wolff is on 50% rate with half time in the first half.

I find the Slovenian referee giving cheap two minutes.

Uwe should get a red card on this attempt and yes if two minutes earlier I am sure the referee is going to brandish the red card. And so, he did. Here we go as expected. I guessed it right.

Lapse in concentration by Uwe?

It is now 10-6 on 16 mins, 11-7 on 18 minutes. Follows a generous penalty.

12-8 on 19 minutes

Great wall but then on his own Boom being 12- 9 on 21 minutes

Good save and deficit reduced to 2 on 22 minutes. Smitten?

Smits second in succession and down to one on 24 minutes

Germany are looking too casual.

A wing play for reprieve with incredible pass. Reminds me of All Stars’ games.

It is down to 40% save rate now for Andy!

I note that there is not a lot of room for photographers.

Baume au Coeur. Bohm au choeur to make it 14-11.

2.30 left on the clock in the first half and Leenders managed to close the gap to 15-13.

And with 45 seconds left on the clock the Dutch keeper delivers hope but they missed the KUNG FU.

SECOND HALF

As soon as I stopped everything upon leaving the bus at Barnes station, the phone reception got stuck despite the mobile data predicament and in consideration of wifi being available on the train.

Lost 2 mins at least as the transfer at Clapham Junction is demanding at rush hour., Thank God I did not have my PC. But a lot of excitement and jealousy insofar as I saw the pictures of great and amusing Cathy and Phil at the airport and the superb news about KD brought happiness but sadness that actually presence could have come to the party….

The missing game time is the reason why I should be in Norway. But if you are at the match you cannot watch anything else in theory.

Hafner gets 2 minutes on a weird occurrence.

Even with the 4G on I struggle to see the penalty on 34 minutes and it is now 16-15. BLOODY WIFI and I am getting really agitated and thank God I can alight at Balham.

Kastening on the counter makes it 17-15.

Wolff makes 2 key saves to keep the Netherlands with 3 at bay on 37 minutes.

Cheeky 18-16 but immediate response by Hafner to the huge delight of his manager, two in a row to get to 20-16 on 40 minutes.

Then Germany gets a dubious penalty so 21-17 on 43 minutes

At the FIREFLY, she stated that she ran out of PAULANER. SADLY. Strange!

And actually 23-19 with 15 minutes on the clock. So, was I miles away with my 10-goal prediction?

Amazing Wolff save as Wiencek sent off for 2 minutes. A second superb save on the wing as well.

Money time after 45 minutes or so. It is now 26-19 on 48 minutes.

12 saves for Wolff and off he goes.

It is now plus 10 with ten minutes left on the clock.

Bitter or sweet for BITTER. Well clearly sweet as he delivers two delicious saves and is being applauded by his team mate.

As expected, it finishes as large victory 34-23 to Germany in the end.

We know Belarus won by 5 vs Serbia but we will have to watch it if we can over the next couple of days.

19.30 GMT 9 January 2020

Spain vs Latvia whilst Croatia vs Montenegro

FIRST HALF

WE are under the Danish refs influence.

Latvia leading 1-0 on 1 minute with a space in the middle.

Double save by bearded keeper on 2 minutes.
Entrerrios quick fire but it does not come off.

Almost 4 minutes and still blank for our beloved Hispanos. VAMOS.

In the meantime, Montenegro leading by a single goal.

It is now 2-0 for Latvia 
100% from Latvia keeper 5 out of 5. Not the start I expected 3 nil down

But Croatia equalised on 5 minutes

After 7 minutes there is a winning penalty for Sole

Off the mark as confirmed by Mr Bray.

Jurdzs scores an impressive 4th

Daniel fires Spain’s third

Whilst Croatia are now leading

Sole scored three different goals showing his versatility, one penalty, one counter attack, and one goal on the wing.

It is only 5-4 for Spain on 14 minutes. Stressful. Not reassuring.

But Latvia turns things around 6-5 on 15 minutes.

It is also a tight affair with Croatia vs Montenegro

Now Latvia with two players down.

Same scoreline in both matches. So weird.

Horvat scores a lovely winger goal making 7-6 for Croatia on 16 minutes

Huge shot on the passive play by no10 from Latvia.

Lucky Latvia as post following Alex long range throw.

Corrales got it covered whilst Maqueda delivers a beautiful shot

EHF TV are showing Belarus Serbia scoreline when Croatia Montenegro is on. Eventually rectified ah ha, it is early days in the competition. Maybe they need my support!

On 20 minutes it is 8-8 still.

Cañelllas forces through and Spain leading only by one.

Quick save by Corrales whilst Sego does it but the Montenegro keeper also gets the better

Virán on the counter does not miss the opportunity to the disgust of Latvian fans; it is now 10-8 to Spain. With just over 6 minutes left in the first half.

Surprised about the red card on 24 minutes. I thoroughly disagree.

And the penalty is converted.

11-10 for Spain and empty goal miss by Latvia but 11-11 it reads for Croatia vs Montenegro

Clever goal by Montenegro making 12-11 to them

Gomez makes 12-10 with 3 minutes left in the first half.

Big miss by Morros and he says LO SIENTO!

Great strike by Cañelllas. A bit of breathing space: 13-10.

What a miss by Latvia to reduce the deficit. Finally Julén gets his goal. Quick fire and very spectacular goal by Latvia so that it finishes 14-11 to Spain when Montenegro leads 13 to 12

SECOND HALF

Gomez gives a bit of breathing space early in the second half so that it is 15-11. Fernandez on the counter makes it 16-11.

Another red card. One for Morros now. That’s unbelievable on 31 minutes.

If anything, both red cards should be rescinded.

Croatia making a better start in the second half

How come goal number 12 not given to Latvia?

Penalty saved by second string Latvian keeper

Enormous save by Gonzalo but Latvia no.10 is very stubborn so surely now it should be 13 for Latvia. The clock got it completely wrong….

Even Gedeon from RNL, who will joining LEMGO next season scores. O MY GOD I could see him in Mannheim had the game not been moved etc.

It is now 18-14 but 18-15 for Croatia. Have we got two unorthodox games?

Scary as it is now 18-16 to Spain.

The defensive battle and the excitement are far greater on the Croatia vs Montenegro. Follow-up is now appearing very poor by Latvia.

Both matches at 19-16. Mental really!

I do not like the way referees are giving cheap 2 minutes today it seems.

Generous penalty for Spain and two minutes on 42 minutes.

Easy steal by Gomez. Even Bruno could have scored.

A bit like Germany vs Netherlands. The game changes after the 43 minutes mark.

Montenegro must be careful as they are getting too many two minutes.

Paul Bray stated the Estonian instead of Latvian Ah ha !!! It might be tired after a trip to Norway from London. Change in defence unsettled Latvia; Ariño scores on the counter and is enjoying his first tournament goal. Another useful save by Gonzalo with his right foot.

It is now + 8. Really similar to Germany vs Netherlands in the way the minnows imploded in the last fifteen.

Nice goal by Julén !!!!

Finally, Latvia stopped the rot.

Sego keeps the Montenegro comeback unlikely. In the meantime, Sole missed his penalty.

Sipic is a newcomer to my knowledge and he has scored vital goals for Croatia

There is now a difference in the score-line but very tiny. And finally, back to the same. For three minutes, it was significantly different. Ten minutes left now. What an achievement by Latvia ! I am surprised.

Funny how powerful the Montenegro shot as the rebound off the crossbar made twenty-five meters backwards. That was funny.

That’s the keeper save. Embarrassing dive but very effective in the end as Gonzalo tried to reach the empty goal. I really despise this empty goal rule. I would like it to be withdrawn. 

Keeper stole the show and over the last five minutes the game got a bit strange and untidy. Empty goal means easy goals for Spain. I do not like that type of handball but a win is win. 

Anyway, this match is not mathematically important. It is Saturday’s match that I always wanted to attend but which takes place a few moments after the Palace vs Arsenal match.

It eventually finished Croatia 27 vs Montenegro 20 whereas Spain 33 vs Latvia 22.

Calamitous start by the favourite teams but class survived against the minnows. And the Balkanic battle was a good game and seriously prepared and won by a stern Croatian team.