The semi-finals of the women’s handball competition at Rio 2016 will see two match-ups between teams that found their way to this stage along varied paths. France take to the court first to play Olympic debutants, the Netherlands, before the defending Olympic, world and European champions play the only team at the 2016 Games that remain unbeaten: Russia. 

The Netherlands are playing their first ever Olympic Games, and though they are now known as one of the top teams in women’s handball after their silver medal at the 2015 IHF Women’s World Championship, their semi-final qualification is still a momentous achievement. 

“In the last 30 seconds I looked at the scoreboard and was like, 'Oh my God, it's just 30 seconds left, 30 seconds,'” said Martine Smeets following their quarter-final win against Brazil. “We were leading with eight goals or something and I realised that, 'We won, we won', and I started to laugh. It was amazing.” 

France qualified for the Rio 2016 semi-final stage in a very different way than their opponents, trailing behind Spain for their entire quarter-final, including a period of a seven-goal deficit, before equalising in the dying minutes and claiming victory in extra time. 

"When we started the extra time I knew it was about being strong in the head for me, using what I knew about their shots. We came back from nowhere but I was never completely sure that we would make it,” said goalkeeper Amandine Leynaud, who ranks third in her position at Rio 2016 with a 39% save rate after six matches. 

The Netherlands and France have already played each other at Rio 2016, as they opened their preliminary round campaigns against each other, with France recording an 18:14 win in a very low scoring match headlined by their exceptional defence. The Netherlands will undoubtedly be better prepared for France’s tactics this time around, but the results of the round one encounter indicate that a close 60 minutes can be expected. 

“They fell to our defence. Our defence was very strong – this is how we destroyed them,” joked Allison Pineau after the opening match, before highlighting what is perhaps the biggest point in their favour ahead of the semi-final. “On our team we have players with experience in the Olympic Games, which they don't have.”

France may have more experience than the Netherlands, but when it comes to that there is no team in the semi-finals that can rival the defending Olympic, world and European champions Norway. The Scandinavian side arrived in Rio de Janeiro with the opportunity to claim their third consecutive Olympic title, after topping the podium in 2008 and 2012. 

For star right back Nora Mork, Rio 2016 is the first chance to claim an Olympic medal, though she does count a number already including gold at the 2015 IHF World Championship and the EHF EURO events in 2010 and 2014: 

“I lost the chance to play in the Olympic Games in London. For two years, I was sad and angry at the same time. I can't tell you how much I want it. It's the one thing I've been thinking about for four years. To be this close, is just an amazing feeling.”

Norway are the only women’s side from Group A to qualify for the semi-finals, while the other three played their preliminary round in Group B. For Russia it is a matter of winning this game, as Anna Vyakhireva believes the nation to progress from this semi-final clash will be the one to top the podium at the end, though the versatile backcourt player knows it will be a challenge:

“We didn't see their massive win against Sweden, but we know them. The winner of Norway and Russia – will it be the gold medal winner? I think so.”

Semi-final schedule for Thursday 18 August in Future Arena
Netherlands vs France 15:30 local time
Norway vs Russia 20:30 local time