Norway win, but it is not enough … yet

Going into this game, Romania knew a win would see them – and hosts Montenegro – through to Tokyo 2020, while Norway knew a win by six or more goals would confirm their place in Japan and leave the other two sides battling it out for a place tomorrow in the final match of the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020 – Women’s Tournament 3.

In the end, Norway returned to winning action after their loss against Montenegro last night, but it was only by five, meaning that when Montenegro and Romania throw off tomorrow, Thorir Hergeirsson and his Norwegian side will be nervously awaiting the outcome.

A 29:24 Romania win would see them through and Norway and Montengro draw lots. A 28:23 win for Romania would send Montenegro crashing out, while a five goal win scoring 30 or more for Romania would send Norway out. A Montengro win or draw would see them and Norway through. 

“We tried to keep an eye on the good things we have had between us this week, and it’s not a good taste in your mouth after you lose to Norway by five goals,” said Romania coach Adrian Vasile after his first game in charge. “The girls have done everything they can for this game but we have one more game tomorrow.”

TOURNAMENT 3
Norway vs Romania 29:24 (13:11)

The Norwegian backroom staff sitting in the stands – and the entire Montenegro squad – at the Verde Complex in Podgorica did their best to provide some sort of atmosphere for their team on court in the behind-closed-doors arena knowing that a repeat performance of their 28:23 loss against Montenegro yesterday would see them crash out of contention for Tokyo 2020.

In the end, a 10-goal turnaround between the two games meant that Norway did not have to worry, running out 29:24 winners, but the five-goal difference was one short of the six needed for automatic qualification.

“Not really,” said Stine Skogrand when asked by ihf.info after the match about if the result felt like a win. “We don’t know what’s going to happen … the chance is good but there is nothing more we can do.

“When I looked the girls in the eyes I really think we did everything we could,” she added. “We talked a lot [yesterday] about how we want to look when we play, our attitude. When we saw Montenegro they were playing with their hearts outside their jersey and that’s Norway [too], but we were missing that yesterday. Today we were more like that and that was the big difference.”

Right back Skogrand epitomised the difference between the two performances as she took over seven metre duties from Nora Mork early on to finish with a 100% record (9/9) with their opponents Romania unable to disrupt the attack like the host nation did yesterday.

When Vasile coolly walked over to call a team time-out for his Romanian side after 24 minutes, 9:12 down, it was effectively the last chance his side had to make it a contest as Norway goalkeeper Katrine Lunde – with just four saves yesterday – had already prevented numerous chances, sitting on a 43.5% save rate as Romania were unable to convert 50% of their attacks by this point (18) due to turnovers, technical faults and Lunde, who would finish on 16 stops (42%).

A two-goal half-time lead (13:11) quickly stretched to seven in the 43rd minute (20:13) as the Norwegian defence suffocated a limited Romanian attack which managed just two strikes in the opening 14 minutes of the second half. At this point, it was over as a contest and Norway were fighting for their direct Olympic spot. 

When Veronica Kristiansen put her side 29:23 up with just 60 seconds left the dream was on, but Eliza Buceschi struck back (24:29) and Hergeirsson took a time-out with 13 seconds left.

Eventually, the ball landed to Malin Aune following the pause, but her Olympic-ticket shot was saved and it meant Norway, who leave Montenegro tomorrow before the game, will have a nervous 20-hour wait.

“Tonight we will celebrate for this game because we did good work these past 24 hours,” said Hergeirsson. “When we leave tomorrow we leave it in other hands and hope that we have a place in the Olympic Games. We have done what we can, but we if we lose the Olympic possibility it was in the first game, not today.”

Photo: Luka Novovic/RSCG