For the first time since six years the Danish girls have reached a semi-final of a Women’s World Championship. The Northern Europeans ended the Angolan dream of their first ever WCh semi after a close and tough match – and now will face France on Friday 16 December.  The last time both semi-finalists met at a World Championship was in 2009, when Denmark clashed France 24:16 in the Preliminary Round.

 

Angola – Denmark (11:15)

The sensational Danish handball series in 2011 can be continued:  After the men finished as Silver medallist at the World Championship in Sweden and all four youth and junior teams were awarded with medals at World and European Championships this summer, now the women play for Gold, Silver and Bronze. Despite his awareness before this game, coach Jan Pytlick and his players could celebrate a close and tough, but well-deserved quarter-final victory. For Denmark the encounter against France will be their seventh semi-final participation in the history of Women’s World Championships.

On the other hand the great dream of the whole African handball and especially the Angolans has come to a bitter end. But Angola still has a chance for qualifying directly for the 2012 London Olympic Games by winning the African Championship in Rabat, Morocco, in January 2012.

Denmark started furious and calmed the huge number of Angolan spectators down very quickly. In minute 18 the three times Olympic Champion had increased the gap to 11:6, as their quick players could not be stopped by the African champion. Aside goalkeeper Christina Pedersen again showed her extra- class. But her Angolan counterpart Maria Tavares was not worse, avoiding an even clearer distance.

But from minute 22 on, the African coped better with the Danes, were very more efficient in attack and came closer to only three goals. And a last second goal of Danila Carlos secured the Angolans an 11:15 halftime result.

After the break the Danes first played dominant, calm and patient, waiting for their chances and with an intense fighting defence side. They constantly kept the distance by four or five goals until minute 42, when Angola scored three straight times to 19:20 having two players more on the field – the Angolan spectators went crazy, danced on the tribune and sang their songs. The match was on the edge. But also in this crunch time the Danes kept calm, found their rhythm again – and Pedersen was the tower of strength, by saving important shots, including a penalty. At 25:21 in minute 53 they could take a deep breath. Latest the Angolan resistance was broken four minutes before the end, when Trine Troelsen hammered the ball into the net for the decisive 27:22.

 

Statements after the match:

Francisco Eduardo, coach Angola: We did not play as well as we can, so we lost.

Kim Jensen, assistant coach Denmark: We are very happy, as the Angolan team has really improved and play on a constant high level since 2007. They have strong players and a new way of playing. We were well prepared for this encounter – and so we could take revenge for our defeat against Angola in 2009. We are glad that we have two days to prepare for the semi-final against France. Since ten years they have one of the best defences in the world, but in this year they also have the best attack I have seen in the last 15 years. I knew that they will beat Russia, and now we are looking forward. We played great matches against France in the previous years, winning more games than we lost.

Marcelina Kiala, player Angola: We did not play on our highest level, caused too many technical mistakes and were too nervous.

Kristina Bille, player Denmark: We played really good in this tough match, as were well prepared. Our good defence and the final counter attacks were decisive.