IHF Egypt 21 My two teams are in the semis, what an evening !

 

France vs Hungary / Spain vs Norway / Sweden vs Qatar

France faltering on the early attacks.

Already two mins for Kentin. Deserved, to be fair.

Marchan scores on his own.

Mathe low shot surprises VG.

Already 2 up for Hungary. None for France.

Sole converts the penalty!

The shooting for France is all over the place at the minute.

May the defence save the day?

Joan perforates the Norwegian defence for a 3-2 lead

Petterson speedily helps Sweden

In the meantime, France trailing 4-1 already after 7mins

Marchan is on fire for a 5-3 lead after 8 mins.

Vincent is not making any save.

Very poor attacking display by France!

Spanish refs right in sending Ludo for 2 mins

Absolute nightmare and no time out as 1-6 after 10 min and big miss by Nedim

Lekai on a low shot near post makes it the perfect seven.

Great wing play by MIKA to reduce the arrears 2-7 after 11’30

I do not see this Hungarian team losing their advantage if we do not change keepers and personnel. Mikler is doing the usual Mikler.

But 7-6 in the other two games whilst 3-9

MIKA to the rescue.

Cheeky number 9 for Spain leading by 3 now.

MIKA again to the rescue. EVERYWHERE.

How come Sweden cannot increase their lead?

Dika too hastily shoots and still losing by 4.

First VG save but it’s a throw!

Nedim squeezes number 6 and Mr MATHE is MEGA HEUREUX

Pensee ENORME pour LK dans les cieux.

We need to score quickly but after a good combination but unfortunately a forced shot by DIKA. Another miss!

MIKA powerfully sprints and gets number seven

Hungary came back in defence so quickly! OMG.

This time Nedim shot is stupendous but there’s a BOKA reply. 8-10 on 22 mins

The goals dried out on the other matches

Ancsin scores a wonderful number eleven. Can we have a change in keeper please?

If the Hungarian had scored he had a foot inside and might have had a foot on the line as well, thank God VG saved.

But then we falter in attack - especially in the middle from long range - AGAIN and France are now losing by 3

Spain are -  in the meantime - cruising 14-10

Ludo scores a beautiful number 10

Jorge enjoyed scoring Spain’s number 15

MIKA does everything. Even puts the ball in the center for Hungary !

Beautiful old school goal by LEKAI. That’s sheer class.

2 mins left and one goal in it!

Why a time-out now? Not in agreement with the idea. To set up the final min strategy, I guess. It looks like it was not a good idea, as anticipated.

Rodrigo is tranquil at the min.

Missed connection with Ludo. Ouch

And ball on the side recovered by Hungary to devastating effects I would expect.

Soft 2 mins against Romain and LEKAI scores a very important goals as Hunary leads by 2 at the break 12-14

Sweden only leads 14-10 at the interval, that’s probably the biggest surprise !

DJU scores a very important low shot at the near post as the buzzer resonates 21-15

The stats do not lie about the wasteful attack in the middle.

I am glad I had light food and no drinks. I am on red DEAF ears!

I cannot look at the social media nor look at the corrections.

Palicka makes a brilliant save at the restart

Thank God YG on

Viran helps repair the goal. Gold dust.

Beautiful line play by Hungary 13-15 (31’45)

Sweden must have heard me. 17-10 now! After 32 odd mins

Quick movement and keeper psychology and down to 1

Stupendous strike before the end of passive play

How come clock not stopped, no penalty for France?

Hugo Descat wants his goal and HAS it on 35 mins

Lucky Mathe scores because they got a penalty after YG save, which means they lead by 2

Bullet by Szita keeps the French at bay

Valou scores the equaliser. No laurels please. All square at 19 with 39 mins played

Norway are reducing the arrears

France for the fist, first time in front 20-19 after 40 mins

What a battle!

Why the assistant talks in English?

Acrobatic YG save!

21-19 (41’30) What a bullet by TNG !

Sadly, Szita finds the right angle to get back to 1-goal match

Why the Spanish refs are not stopping the clock for the penalty?

Hugo stupidly rushed by YG. What a psychological blow

TNG injured then Szita again punishes France and so does the line player as it’s all qyuare at 22. I knew THAT MISS would be costly.

Tournat scores a vital one.

Nedim on the counter restores a 2-goal lead. Not for long.

Rodrigo ensures scoreline stays 25-21

Tournat has another line play response

Dika has a stupid 2mins punishing his teammates

Boka on the wing reduces the arrears of course. Back to one.

Empty goal and Boka delivers and it’s all square AGAIN. 25-25 with ten minutes left

Yellow card for GG. Crazy!

Romain scores a good one to our relief

Hugo scores a vital goal as he controls the ball with a bit of spin. OUF!

27-25 (51’50)

And YG foot quite helpful IF we score QUICK.

Superb combination wityh great ROMAIN goal

But Bodo scores an easy one !

OJO change in keeper on Hungary’s front.

Still clock not stopped. MENTAL

Hugo does not falter 29-26 (54’)

I expected more saves so I do not want too many goals in the France match now

Stress or Barcelona?

200-heart BEAT, indeed

Not enough goals in the second half between Spain and Norway!

He had a foot on the line so goal number 27 for Hungary should have not stood. SO ANNOYING.

4 mins left and 30-27 for France. Too casual suddenly.

I got the result mixed up.

Mikler is back in goal.

Big MISS by Romain and SO costly as Boka gets it back to 2.  30-28 with just over 2 mins left

Suddenly clock stopped.

Mathe scores number 29. OUCH.

With a good Palicka, 35-23 for Sweden !

Hungary equalised with 30 seconds left.

DRAW 30-30!!! WORRYING?

And Norway did not try to get number 27 so Spain in the semis but it’s a plus 5!

They do not stop the clock AGAIN.

Big penalty miss by HUGO.

Why VG back? Strategical mistake

We are losing by one now!

Kentin scores the penalty

Stupid pass by Romain. Ouch.

What about JJA? Not on the team sheet?

What about a passive play from Hungary. Great recovery by Romain to score on the counter.

And maybe a two mins?

32-31 at the first interval

We must convert THIS one and yet again we flatten.

Line-play please.

TNG but scoring from long range. Not today.

DEFENSE DEFENSE indeed.

Never a penalty!!! YES, JUSTICE. VG saves it brilliantly.

Come ON FRANCE! Por el amor de DIOS.

Why suddenly stopping the clock? How many times earlier he forgot to do so when it was more relevant !

Another big miss by Romain. Snif!

Hugo did not flatten when it mattered. OUF.

Mobile is ahead.

No way it’s not a penalty in my book and I am being HONEST. AGAIN! Balogh scores annoyingly.

Tournat scores an important one. Perhaps a VITAL one.

So quickly raising the passive play. Then Lucho to the rescue.

Because, in the panic there was an offensive foul on HUGO.

35-32. UNBEARABLE ! OH NO, we cannot hear any interviews!

Why Mika was removed later in the match?

Hungary had a great tournament, played very well and in the end the huge experience and the nerves of steel of some players, on both sides, were not very present in that second 5-min over-time period. 

Thank God my two teams are in the semis. I enjoyed watching Hungary under Gulyas.