Handball journeys

Spain finished sixth at Euro 2010 despite a solid performance. No one would have predicted that they would go on to have a six in a row presence within the final four teams down the line. In 2012 Ciudad Real and Valero Rivera effects.  In 2014  Victor Tomas dance floor magic and Aalborg visit meeting Ernesto. In 2016  Sad meeting at the airport after Spanish flag lost and stolen by another fan. In 2018  Celebrating in Croatia Spain 1st and France 3rd. And a commemorative shirt. In 2020  New job so unable to do what Noelia did. Jordi Ribera tour de force and panache. In 2022  Covid-related flights cancellled and new job meant that all expenses for Hungary and Slovakia cancelled and reliance on EHF TV ! Spain adapting so well to their opponents and somehow winning all their matches but for their day off against Norway. Should France qualify tomorrow they are likely to meet Spain in the semis. Oh my God ! But to be honest Iceland deserves it a bit more than Fr...

  Tuesday 25 January 2022 14h30 1D-1F REPLACED BY POLAND SPAIN Narrow win by Spain 28-27 and very interesting match but impossible to type any report as I was working at the same time or listening to a presentation. 17h 2D-1E REPLACED BY GERMANY RUSSIA Same scoreline for Germany and same uncertainty throughout. As enticing as the Spain win. I was working on something different this time so impossible to type on the personal PC ! 19h30 2E-2F REPLACED BY SWEDEN NORWAY 4-5 14' Tielin makes another save Not good what Sagosen did, whatever the outcome Even the 2-min is suspicious. Darj responded to Reinkind 5-6 18’40 But Barthold keeps his stats up with a goal 5-7 18’50 Another suspicious 2-min given to Sweden but Sweden sticking to it. Sagosen on his guards and huge leap 7-9 22’20 Saeveraas sent it into the empty net 7-10 seconds later. Suddenly Norway in finding an opportunity to extend further their lead Reinkind of some kind 7-12 25...

 Monday 24 January 2022 14h30 1A-2B REPLACED BY ICELAND CROATIA Very interesting to follow and Iceland unlucky not to get a draw, Croatia worthy winners though. Nail-biting stuff. 17h 2A-1C REPLACED BY DENMARK NETHERLANDS Boring as Denmark overly dominant so stopped just before the break 19h30 1B-2C REPLACED BY FRANCE MONTENEGRO Still no Remi. Near post Lenne goal 1-0 1’45 Vujovic missile response seconds later Karabatic with a rebound Empty goal steal for Yannis 3-1 3’ No wing mistake by Lasica Simic saves and Vujovic again 3-3 4’ The work done in Munich in 2019 pays off.          Mem responds to Vujovic 4-4 5’ Simic saves from Lagarde Tournat well drawn goal 5-5 7’ after Cepic had given the lead Nice steal by Dika as Nicolas Tournat got a severe 2-minute 6-5 8’ Lenne does not miss the counter 7-5 9’ Dog’s dinner of a 1-man advantage Simic saved from Descat but Fab reacted 8-6 10’40 ...

Ouch up around 6 am clearly not keen to go to football. Missing a lot all the fans, the contact with the handball community of managers/refs/players. At 12:15 there is a Teams call with the France players and I want to be there and show my support. But midday is the time Brendan said we should be at House of Hammerton en route to the Emirates for the rescheduled Burnley fixture. The match and the travel mean that I should be able to come back on time to watch Germany v Sweden and Spain Norway after that.  Too late now for The Ticket Exchange ! The humbling defeat by a superb Iceland was indeed the largest defeat suffered by France since the euro competition started in 1994. There were a couple of 7-goal defeats but not 8. Hence the importance of that miss by Hugo Descat against the future H keeper. When Sunday comes we have dilemmas. Not helped by the utmost desire to work as I love my new job. But work is not everything in life when handball comes.  1994 Portugal I watched it...

  Saturday 22 January 2022 14h30 1C-1B REPLACED BY MONTENEGRO NETHERLANDS MISSED 17h 1A-2C REPLACED BY FRANCE ICELAND Hugo finds a good option and scores the first one 1-0 1’30 Magnusson surprises blinded VG with superb hip wrist shot 1-1 2’30 Asgeirsson is doing a Vujovic impression 2-2 within seconds Minne sends the opposition defence packing 3-2 3’10 Its 3-3 after 5 mins Romain Lagarde wipes the ball away but the ball is back for Iceland Iceland is the most complete team because danger from everywhere and very good keepers And despite their prominent absentees 90 seconds later 4-4 Hugo missed an opportunity to equalise by over-doing it. Great save by VG Dika and Romain missed the same shots. Romain pinched the ball but Hugo made a consecutive failure Guillaume Gille must have struck Covid? France short handed Magnusson powerfully and Iceland leads by 2 5-7 11’ NK is annoyed. Sideline let off for France. Hallgrimmson made a go...

  Main Round   Thursday 20 January 2022 14h30                                                                                1C-2B 1F-2E REPLACED BY RUSSIA SWEDEN – still to be watched MONTENEGRO CROATIA – rumours confirmed of a surprise Cepic gets Montenegro in the lead 2-1 2’45 Vujovic nice leap 3-2 6’40 Simic saves brilliantly and asks for more noise by the fans 8 minutes and 2 nd 2 mi, that is not a very good discipline record. Another nail broken. Simic is on 57% after 10 mins. Gojun is unlucky with the 2-minute Vujovic very speedy goal 5-3 12’45 Sevaljevic scores an even mo...

  19h30 Portugal - Netherlands Belarus - Austria   A tight affair between Portugal and surprise package Netherlands. Watching a bit late because of work. I have a soft spot for Belarus since Qatar so perhaps I should switch to Belarus – Austria Upstairs his mate Quintana must have been proud of the save and almost at home Martins reduces the arrears 8-9 17’ Brilliant save by Capdevile. It is a keeper’s game and it is not the same rhythm as Spain v Sweden and yet one of the teams is going out. 1961 is 2022 again with the Netherlands in fine form. Three minutes later and the Netherlands two goals up But Capdevile saved brilliantly Benghamen has his own revenge and the Dutch team now leads by 3 Double suspension to the Netherlands. Will it help Portugal? Five minutes left and the scoreline 10-14 Paul copying Bruno as he said today is goalies’ day Slovenia lost to Montenegro. Well, it is not such a surprise. If you remember how France struggled agains...