EHF 2022 - Day One France and Spain get their first wins. Well done boys

 

Thursday 13 January 2022

17h

Slovenia - Macedonia

Serbia - Ukraine

Spain - Czech Republic

Russia – Lithuania

 

Watching Serbia - Ukraine and Spain - Czech Republic

Counter attack by Ukraine leading by one

Biegler pushing his boys

Czech Republic fine goal beating Gonzalo

Jorge gets Spain going just before the 5 min mark 1-1

25% capacity at the euro in Slovakia

What a save by Gonzalo and Fernandez punishes 2-1 6’15

Solak step inside and 3-2. Not a goal fest 2-3 after 7 mins. This is not football

Serbia are in the mood we saw them in December 2020 but leading 5-4 after 9 mins

Kukic opposite corner after a good set up getting a 2-goal lead

Fernandez is so quick on the counter 4-4 11’54

A man up and 7-5 for Serbia

Donastar, superstar!

Gurbi makes himself at home 7-5 17’30

Empty goal for Aleix 8-5 immediately

Costly empty goal strategy and Gonzalo scores immediately

Kukic with purpose 12-8 22’

Annoying not to be there!

Joan gets an easy simple goal after a Gonzalo save 12-8 23’

Kukic scoring one third of his team goals, 5 out of 15

Without a surprise Serbia now cruising 16-11 28’

Spin goal of beauty 17-11 29’

Aleix is annoyed

Gonzalo keeping Spain 3 goals ahead

Half-time Spain leading 14-11

Turchenko scores a beautiful old school number 12 for the Ukraine

Double suspension to the Ukraine and Serbia now leads by 8

Spain only leading 16-13 but Gurbi to the rescue. Such a composed and kind player.

Only suddenly remembered the Carling Cup match

Czech keeper asks the Slovak crowd to get behind them

Not sure why I am having a bit of a headache

A 10-goal lead. The ball just over the defender.

Babak with two players down and 18-16

Figueras gets a deft one

Gurbi scores where Sole failed and it’s a 4-goal lead 20-16 44’

Radidvejic is also on fire 29-18 50’

Good line play by Petrovsky 20-17

Solak is penalised

Just a goal in it 20-19

And the refs are favouring Spain

Antonio Garcia scores a nice one 21-19 49’

Cip complaining and now gets his wishes

Great counter by the Ukraine. 4 mins left 31-21

Time out for Spain. APRETAMOS!

Casado gets his first goal in an official tournament

CIP sips the tide 23-21 as the power play did not go their way

31-23 to Serbia

Sole and Casado getting Spain probably out of jail

25-21 with just under six minutes left

25-23 with 4 minutes left

Refs again in Spain’s favour.

Reichl fine finish 26-24 with just under 2 mins left

Garcia key crucial goal 27 with just over one minute left.

Fernandez easy finish and 28-26. Job done.

Gurbi and Antonio doing the job for Mr Ribera

 

19h30

Denmark - Montenegro

Hungary - Netherlands

France - Croatia

Sweden - Bosnia

Norway - Slovakia

 

Five cracking matches but I will stick to France Croatia

Mostly Croatian fans

Dika Mem gets France going

Martinovic equalised

What a goal by Yannis in the top corner

Pacy start

Mr Bray gets the Hungary treatment

Well done Kentin 3-1 4’50

Saw all the friends after the huge flag display

Nice line play by Croatia 4-2 6’

Fabregas in easy mode 6-2 8’

Sublime handball from the book 7-2 9’

But rushed shot suddenly.

Instead of 7-3 11’

Mr Bray might have gone via KLM if his flight was not cancelled

Huge save by Pesic

Czech friends on the whistle duty

Gadza brings Croatia back to within 3.

And the attack is stuttering.

Oh no the video stopped. After 8 mins with no goal, that’s the risk relying on EHF TV

Great save by Gerard as Dika got intercepted

Srna brings it back to 9-6

Hugo scores a magnificent number 10

Cheeky Ivan Cupic

Brilliant shot for Croatia 10-8 23’

Christopher is more nuanced.

Melvin saved by Vincent

Minne got there in the end 12-8 27’

Mandic gets back into it 10-8 28’40

Psychologically 13-11 on the buzzer

As I went to the main room Xhaka got sent off. And guess what Michael Oliver is the ref. This is unacceptable. I stick to my handball.

Dika picks up where he left it and scores 14-11 31’

Dika on his Barcelona simplicity 15-11 32’

Nice one by Sipic 15-12 32’

Sad JJA nor Remi playing today.

JJA did not get his call.

Pesic brilliantly waves THAT one easy on 36 minutes played

Martinovic makes it 16-13

Good line play by Susnja 17-14 37’30

Benoit missed his shot or Pesic saved.

Either way France stuttering again

Commentator is the Uninformed handball podcast gent. Most probably.

I never realized how lucky I was in 2019.

Trademark reverse goal by LUDO 19-15 41’

Superb Gerard save but this time no mistake. 20-18 44’

Nicolas doing a Julen

Oh Malou was able to travel!

Lucin long range surprises France 21-19 46’

Two two mins. One of them was not fair. But Mandic foul was bad.

Lucky not to have a fourth suspension though.

Hugo of steel. 22-19 47’

Nice finish but he had because of the numerical advantage 23-19 48’

Croatia did very well to contain France

Lucky decision for France

Gerard saving France really.

Line play is defective at the minute.

In the meantime, 3 great matches. Having downloaded the app requiring another password reset I found out Slovenia won!

Sad for Macedonia.

First match. 163 items on WHATSAPP and I am not active on social media.

The Croatia fans are not happy.

Come on Wesley. So unlucky. 23-20 53’

Great save by Pesic on NK shot

NK Schwenker 24-20 54’

Valou very composed to the empty net 25-20

Ball back for Croatia. Correct decision.

Cupic incredible on the penalty line

Goal not given!

Incisive Lucin 25-22 58’

KM scores on the opposite corner 26-22 59’11

Turnover quite obvious!

Ludo scores 27-22 in the end.

Looking towards the sky thinking of Matt he would have been proud of this France win. Well done boys.