Handball journeys

  Euro EHF 2022 Hungary and Slovakia I am now a Sports Journalist Association member with a lovely picture on the card. I have a new job, which meant that I had to cancel my trip to Hungary. Expect a lot of stress with an unpredictable EHF TV website. But at least we have the option to watch all the matches. The idea is to continue the match reports as they happen. Obviously if I were in Szeged, I would not be able to work on the wordings. Similarly, the 14h30 throw-off will be difficult to watch and report on.   I am happy to see fellow fans having a blast whilst I am staying in London. Order in which the teams will finish at the end of the preliminary round Group A Denmark Macedonia Slovenia Montenegro Group B Hungary Iceland Portugal Netherlands Group C France Croatia Serbia Ukraine Group D Germany Poland Belarus Austria Group E Spain Sweden Bosnia Czech Republic Group F Norway Russia Slovakia Lithuania Four games in the main round, that is so enticing. Thursday 13

Denmark – Spain Bronze medal play off. Mireya comes in. Castellanos saves from good line play by Denmark Campos scores going through the defence 0-1 3’ Carmen opens her body and finds a short angle 2-3 7’ Haugsted well timed jump 3-3 7’40 Superb Mireya scores a nice one 4-4 9’38 Hojlund steps around the defence with ease 5-5 12’20 Burgaard wrist is very efficient 7-6 14’ Carmen was too greedy and missed her 7-meter throw. Burgaard is ruthless and adds number 8 8-6 15’ Double power play by Spain. Clock run down of course. Gassama is fed and converts to draw it level 8-8 16’40 Long range ball by Castellanos and Cabral gets the better of the Danish defence 8-9 17’ Haugsted creating a lot of space having received the ball off Toft 10-9 19’ Hansen dispatches the 7-meter throw 11-10 a minute later Heindahl was her on own with the short-handed defence 12-10 22’ Iversen has a lovely supply and she was too greedy Jorgensen thunderous shot 13-10 23’ Osterg

Throughout the competition and especially in the middle of the Main Round we have seen a lot of rising stars. Ironically we get to have the same final as last December My best 7 at Spain 2021 would be GK Reinhardt Line play Brattse Foppa Wing  Hagman Granier Center Oftedal Haugsted Subs: Navarro, Stromberg, Guttierez, Vamos Best Managers: Krumbolz and Prades Interesting Spain Denmark followed by the France Norway. Today was meant to be at the Palau San Jordi and it featured back in 2013 a very famous Spain Denmark match !  Denmark will beat Spain. It will be tight in the first half and everything will change near the 50th minute when Denmark shall prevail despite a lof endeavours from fans and players altogether. France will beat Norway as their shooting shall be more accurate. France learnt from their mistakes in Denmark. Its going to be nail-biting, not pretty at times. An amazing defence with in-form keepers will also help considerably.

Following from London via Twitch two matches with Europe in sight as opposed to being sat on a coach to Elland Road for Leeds vs Arsenal.   Very busy newly elected Bruno Martini was a very entertaining guest. Arthur Anquetil was a very honest and amusing guest with a trip to Tromso anecdote. Kvanne and Kiel are very good ideas. Jean Jacques got to be the awesome loyal knowledgeable fan. Mr Mathe was also very direct and friendly procrastinating the potential drinks. Paris vs Chambery Chambery was leading by up to 6/7 goals at one point, almost lost the match and stemmed the plight in the money time, winning by one. Saw our friends in the crowd. Arthur explained the strategy behind the aggressiveness in a positive fashion. Nantes vs Montpellier Emil made key saves securing a much deserved win for his side to the disappointment of a very friendly and open-minded chairman Julien. Purple team on the winning side, this is really cool.

    Norway - Spain Navarro saves from Oftedal 1-1    after 5 mins Cabral breaks through 2-1 5’38 But Kristiansen responded immediately 2-2 Mork 7-meter brings Norway ahead 2-3 7’30 Great steal and Cabral gets the better of Lunde 3-3 9’22 Carved out shot by Carmen Brattse Dale fed through Espinola legs 3-5 12’ Huge noise from the Norway supporters Oftedal gets a generous 7-meter 3-6 14’52 Difficult period for Spain Mork missed the 7-meter throw Reistad bullet proof shot is a devastating blow 3-7 18’ Silvia Arderius gives a bit of hope Clock is not stopped Perfect top corner 7-meter throw by Jenny Solberg flicked the ball to Brattse and back to 3 5-8 20’ Too many steps turnovers on both sides Reistad missed her 7-meter as well. Lovely Cabral goal but Aardahl immediately responded 6-9 23’50 It should have been a 7-meter throw and Mr Prades gets a yellow card Finally a 2-minute and a 7-meter throw. Lunde saves from Jenny. Spain missed a big cha

France vs Denmark 56% save rate is from awesome Reinhardt. Still 0-0 after 2’30. Reinhardt is injured by Toublanc but she shall come back stronger. Denmark short handed gets a passive play call imposed on France. Danish defence holding firm 1-2 7 mins gone Burgaard wing goal 2-3 8’30 mins Haugsted jumps 2-4 9’15 Paul Bray enjoying Denmark current win vs France 2-5 10’30 Haugsted scores a simple one 4-6 12’ France missing their passes Pedersen on the break punishes France 4-7 14’ Huge let off off the post And a faulty substitution follows Heindahl makes the most of it 5-9 18’40 Jensen snips 6-10 20’ Granier hangs on 8-10 22’ Haugsted thunderous top corner shot 8-11 23’ Ostergaard steals the ball again whereas they are short-handed Estelle first goal 9-11 25’ Reinhardt saves again brilliantly Iversen beautiful goal 9-12 26’37 Laura saves and then the post helps. Obvious 7-meter throw. Cheeky Pineau 10-12 29’ Paul Bray is getting carried away

Arsenal fans are having fun. Watching a handball quarter final France Sweden and drinking a Camden lager whilst winning 2 nil with 2 fine goals ! 

  On mute with a lovely wing goal ! Norway scoreline is very similar to that of France against Sweden. It will be Denmark vs France and Norway vs Spain as semi finals this Friday 17 December 2021 Of course I want a Spain France final and Spain to win this time for my friend Mr Prades.  

Denmark won 30-25 against a pale Brazilian side Spain vs Germany Castellanos makes a good save 1’30 Tamed shot by Alexandrina Schmelzer opens her account 0-1 2’40 Berger on a fast break doubles the lead 0-2 3’20 Attacking foul 7-meter throw scored by Maidhof 0-3 4’30 Germany defence is very good. Spain unable to find the right options Maidhof scores 0-4 from a controversial 7-meter throw 6’45 Castellanos saves from Smits and Alexandrina finds a way through 1-4 8’15 Martin scores the 7-meter throw 2-5 10’ Fernandez with too many steps! Maidhof punishes Spain 2-6 14’ Maidhof finds the top corner 3-7 15’40 After a lofted goal for Spain, Echeverria quick shot on the counter brings it to 5-7 17’34 Arcos stupendous shot 6-7 18’48. One goal in it     Lucky deflection to Spain’s favour 7-8 20’ Campos for the 8 all square 21’45 Castellanos quick thinking and Jenny gives Spain the lead 9-8 22’48 Echeverria on a high speed 10-8 23’54 Schmelzer silences th

FRANCE VS SWEDEN A fitting battle and its a tough call as Sweden are playing very well as a team.  DENMARK VS BRAZIL With a solid defence its probably the most predictable result with Denmark on top SPAIN VS GERMANY Stolle team mates may shock the hosts. Obviously hope for a Spain victory.  NORWAY VS RUSSIA A young Russian team may last 40 minutes and then Norway should get the win under their belt

  We started the day with amusing Angola - Uzbekistan  3-1 in 3 mins 16-2 in 14 mins Not even 20 mins 21-2 What a big miss on the counter! Stuck at 22 on 22 minutes Poland – Montenegro next 25-3 on 25 mins Venancio and Machado having a party 27-4 27’47 28-5 bounce back ability! Paulo just got number 30 just before the buzzer. 30-5 Three goals in the space of 2 mins for Uzbekistan Corovic gets Montenegro in front after 3’30 1-0 Had to stop as the PC arrived France Russia and Netherlands Norway Sweden easily overcame the Romanian trap. I watched the game whilst food shopping at Sainsbury. Poland also dominated Montenegro earlier when I was working on the cyber coverages Birthday lady Flippes opens the warfare to which Fomina responded Snelder swinging it 3-2 3’ Goal given to Russia after video replay Rostov battle Herrem reduces the onslaught 6-4 7’ Missed 7-meter throw by France Fomina finds the near post 4-2 5’45 Abbingh swipe 8-5 9’ Doub

Argentina were giving it a good go against Japan within the first 26 minutes but by the interval losing by one and losing even further ground in the second half (27-31) Austria were leading 15-10 at the break, 19-12 after 39’ Goals are flying by 21-15 43’30 Kapitanovic saved easily from a 7-meter throw Substitute Austrian keeper does the same twice in a row. On-fire keeper Ivancok keeps Croatia at bay 24-18 53’ Sadly double suspension including that of Kovacs Jezic makes the most of it reducing the scoreline to 24-20 54’ Neidhart gets a red card Very important save by the Austrian keeper on a 7-meter conceded by her sister as it prevents Croatia from being 24-22 with just four minutes left Instead, it reads 25-21 57’ I am happy for Austria. I warmed to them during the heartbreaking defeat to Japan Beautiful safety first number 26 8 seconds left and Austria winning 27-22 It ended 27-23 and the Croatia manager is very angry. Vamos España Spain Brazil whils

France won 22-19 against Serbia having trailed 9-12 at the break Lindqvist gets it level after 3’33 1-1 Hagman top scorer and she does not disappoint on the wing after 6’: 3-2 to Sweden 7-meter saved by Swedish keeper just before the 10-min mark Eriksson makes an impressive save to contain Norway She’s on a roll as she did not let the counter get over her Still 4-3 to Sweden after 12’45 Kristiansen stupendous shot levels it at 4 seconds later Lindqvist tamed shot to the opposite post gives Sweden a short-lived 2-goal advantage As Oftedal gets number five for Norway Solberg gets beaten on her right hand side: 7-7 19’ Beautiful lofted goal by Jasmina Roberts drawing at 9 two minutes later Its Lunde turn to deny Sweden from the 7-meter spot. Hagman slides in to get Sweden into the lead 9-10 23’ Reistad is a poison to Sweden as Norway now leads by 2 13-11 27’ Mellegard is always looking for the safe option and it works 13-12 29’ On the buzzer Norway leads

Last night I watched Arsenal ladies losing heavily to Barcelona. It was pouring down and yet I was also watching the France Poland match ! As it was my last day in the office I could not watch the Argentina -Brazil match. I only managed to watch Japan-Austria whilst on the commute back to Balham.  Japan edge it past Austria having been behind most of the match. Lets turn our attention to Spain vs Croatia and Czech Republic vs Denmark Espinola thunderous shot to draw it level 1-1 3’20 Denmark trailing by 4-1 after 5 minutes Haugsted gets Denmark back on track 5-3 6’45 Croatia now level 4-4 after 9 mins Czech Republic now getting cold 5-5 after 10 mins Campos makes the most of the numerical advantage 5-4 10’30 Seven minutes without scoring for the Czech team Mala stopped the malus 6-6 13’ Kudlackova made an impressive save but Friis swept her aside with a nice angle Croatia are getting a lot of suspensions Spain having a bit of breathing space 8-5 16’ Good goalk