Paris 2024 | Slow start does not deter Norway's win in 50th Olympics match

Norway celebrated their 50th match in the women’s handball competition at the Olympic Games by securing their fourth win in five matches in the preliminary round at Paris 2024, 30:18, against Germany.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES – PRELIMINARY ROUND
GROUP A
Norway vs Germany 30:18 (14:8)

Norway were through, while Germany still needed to wait for the last match of the group, the one between Denmark and the Republic of Korea, irrespective of their result against the reigning European champions. But both teams had a stake in the match and when Germany threw off with a 3:0 run, preventing Norway to score for six minutes and 13 seconds, Norway looked flustered.

Their attack was not working, with Germany’s goalkeeper Katarina Filter making three saves. But then Norway got going. It’s not usual to see the Scandinavian side struggle to score in the first minutes of the match. But when it happens, it just adds fuel to the fire, it just enhances Norway’s desire to win.

And this really did. Norway did not enter into the panic mode, and after a team time-out called by coach Thorir Hergeirsson, the team went into a hard reset. The defence became stronger and worked together. Goalkeeper Katrine Lunde started saving some shots, finishing the first half with a 46% saving efficiency and six saves, improving her overall efficiency in the competition to 44%.

With that, Norway went on a 7:0 unanswered run, to turn the match on its head, preventing Germany to score for nine minutes and 33 seconds. It was the usual Germany roller-coaster style, which was displayed against both the Republic of Korea and against Denmark, when they alternated the good moments with the bad ones.

But against Norway, a team needs to be usually flawless to challenge the Scandinavian side. And Germany were simply not that, as their shooting efficiency dipped once again under 50%, basically opening the door for Norway to clinch their fourth consecutive win at Paris 2024 and their 37th in 50 matches at the Olympics.

The gap at the break was six goals, 14:8, and Norway continued to push through in the second half, limiting Germany’s attack to a 44% efficiency, an issue which largely plagued Markus Gaugisch’s side throughout the whole competition, with only match standing apart, their 41:22 win against Slovenia. Henny Reistad was the top scorer of the match, with eight goals, as she finally looks to be getting into top shape, after missing in the first two matches.

However, Norway received a blow late in the second half, when line player Vilde Ingstad collided with Meike Schmelzer and sustained an apparent knee injury, with all of her teammates looking dejected on the bench.

Therefore, Norway’s celebrations were somehow tempered by Ingstad’s injury, but the Scandinavian side still secured their 37th win in history at the Olympics, their fourth in a row at Paris 2024 and one which ensures they are on the first two places at the end of the preliminary round.

Their position will be decided after Denmark face the Republic of Korea, with Norway clinching the first place in case of a Denmark win. On the other hand, Germany, which failed to break the 20-goals scored mark, conceding a 12-goal loss, 18:30, will need the Republic of Korea to lose in order to clinch the fourth quarter-finals berth from Group A.