Will the dream come true? – preview of Brazil vs. Spain

Portugese meets Hispanic in the last quarter-final of the XX Women’s World Championship at 20:00 local time in Sao Paulo: When Brazil face Spain the fans will be on one side, the one of the hosting nation. Brazil is on a high flyer currently with six victories in six matches, whilst Spain took five wins in six matches including the battle against Montenegro in the eight-finals. The only match the Iberians lost was against defending champion Russia. 

“Brazil is the favourite in this game, as they have the audience on their side and played a great tournament,” Spanish coach Jorge Duenas said: “They are showing a real wonderful performance at home, but anyway we are confident, as we have reached our major target, the Olympic Qualification Tournaments, already.”

All experts expect a defence and goalkeeper battle. Spain can count on Silvia Navarro, who saved 29 shots against Montenegro, whilst Brazil have their outstanding duo Barbara Arenhart/Chana Masson  in the middle of the bars. “We will see a great game,” Brazilian coach Morten Soubak expects, adding: “Spain is a highly strong opponent, playing a great Preliminary Round. But for us it is the most important match for years.”

For Soubak the Brazilian success on home ground is highly important, as “it is always good when teams from outside Europe come so far, but those countries have to do all they can to improve handball.”  In a test match before the World Championship, his team beat Spain. “No matter what the result was. This is a competition, and this was a friendly match,” Soubak explains.

Most of the players competing in the last quarter-final know each other, as they mostly play for European clubs. And the host is flying on the wings of success: “We have a dream to come true, and this dream is to show the strength of Brazilian handball to the world, “ Soubak says.

 

Out of the dark, into the light – preview of Norway vs. Croatia

European Champion against European underdog is the composition of the third quarter-final, when Norway face Croatia at 17:15 local time in Sao Paulo. As Norway (five times EHF EURO Champion and straight four times since 2004, Olympic Champion 2008 and World Champion 1999) will compete with Croatia, the starting base for both teams is absolutely different. “We can come out of the shadow of our successful men’s team now, as we never reached a semi-final at any competition with the women’s team before, “ Croatian coach Vladimir Canjuga said before the clash against Norway. The best position of the Croatian women at a World Championship was rank six in 1997 – now they fight for a better position and for more public interest in this handball-crazy nation.

Whilst the Croats have their best team on the field, Norway miss some important players like Gro Hammerseng (pregnancy), Tonje Larsen and Nora Mörk (injuries). “Despite those personal problems, Norway is the clear favourite in this quarter-final. This match is a kind of bonus for our players after qualifying for the Olympic Qualification Tournaments already”, Canjuga said, adding: “We will not surrender, even as we had three tough matches in our bones, like those against Denmark, Sweden and the eight-final against Romania. To qualify for those Olympic Qualifications means a huge success for Croatian women’s handball.”

Norwegian coach Thorir Hergeirsson praised the development of Croatian women’s handball and honestly congratulated the Balkan team: “They developed very well thanks to their traditionally good handball school. But now the national team has reached a level, which the individual players already had before.”

For Canjuca the World Championship means a great chance to get a little light aside the men’s team in Croatia, as in Norway it is completely different: Women’s handball is team sport number one in their country. “We can write history in Brazil, if we are the first ever Croat women’s team to reach a semi-final,” Canjuca said.

In contrast, Hergeirsson is preparing a new team for the 2012 London Olympics: “We have good young players, who joined us, but they have to cope with the rest of the team. In Brazil, we improved from match to match – and this makes me more confident.” The Northern Europeans can count of a huge number of spectators, which already supported them in Santos: “Those friends of the Norwegian handball are not only a big support for us, but they are important for the entire world of handball,” Hergerirsson mentioned, adding concerning the pressure his team has to stand: “We are used to it, as always the expectations are very high in Norway.” But despite those expectations he does not take his own team into account when talking about the WCh favourites.