– It’s the sickest ending I’ve seen in a very, very long time. That’s what news expert Håvard Tvedten says, after seeing Olympic debutant Alexander Blonz from Stavanger decide the match for Norway. With only a few seconds left on the clock, Norway messed up the ball in attack, and presented Hungary with a solid chance. But Hungarian Bence Imre was unable to get the ball past Kolstad goalkeeper Torbjørn Bergerud, who made a brilliant save, before sending the Norwegian handball boys storming into attack. – I focus on my own tasks and try to do what I actually ended up doing, which was to save the ball. We are also a bit lucky that it falls straight into my hands again, so that I can send it out to Lyse, who sends it on to Blonz. That was the recipe for victory, Bergerud told news about the counterattack, which ensured that Blonz could decide for Norway. LAST SECOND: Alexander Blonz and Torbjørn Bergerud decided for Norway in the last second. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB In attack, the Olympic debutant had few problems getting the ball past the Hungarians’ last chance Kristof Palasics, and ensured Norway’s third straight victory in the last second. – I don’t have time to think that much. First I cheer for Torbjørn, then I look at the clock and see that there is more time. Then I get the ball from Lyse and I know we don’t have enough time, so then I just shoot somewhere I think it will hit the goal, Blonz told news after the match. The Bergerud save brings back too many memories to the World Cup semi-final against Croatia in 2017, where the star goalkeeper ensured the extra time. – When we have Bergerud waiting up. He has been a match winner before, but it has been a few years, Tvedten said. CHEER: The Norwegian handball boys cheer after Alexander Blonz decided the match in the last second. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB Sloppy start The Norwegian handball men went all out against Hungary, full of confidence after the Olympic shock over the host nation and reigning Olympic champion France. Norway struggled at times in defense at the start of the match. A good Bergerud, on the other hand, kept Norway in the game. – It is Bergerud who has kept us in the game with quite good saves, said Tvedten. IMPORTANT: Kolstad goalkeeper Torbjørn Bergerud made several good saves against Hungary. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB After a poor first half, where Norway sometimes slopped both forwards and backwards in the field, the Norwegian handball men showed completely different tactics in the last half hour of the match. – There is a better Norwegian defensive game now. More dynamic and aggressive on the shooters, said Tvedten, a few minutes into the second half. As the half went on, the handball boys took more and more control, while the Hungarians struggled more and more. – They have a high top level Hungary, but a fairly low bottom level. They play rather unevenly throughout the game, Tvedten thought. SLET: Norway struggled at times in the attacking game against the Hungarian defence. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB – Small margins After the end of the match, the national team coach was not particularly impressed with what the handball boys delivered, but was well satisfied with a full pot after three matches. – There are small margins. This time it went our way, we’ve had a few times where it hasn’t gone our way. There is a big difference between a rescue from Bergerud there and not a rescue, says Jonas Wille to news. The victory ensures that Norway stands with six points after three games, and with that has good opportunities to progress. As early as Wednesday evening, depending on how it goes in the other games in the group, Norway could be ready for the quarter-finals of the Olympics. Blonz does not hide how good it was to see the ball go into the goal, and with that to have ensured that the handball boys have taken a big step towards the quarter-finals in the Olympics. – It’s a wonderful feeling. It is not often that I have experienced that we have two match-winning actions. First Torbjørn with nine seconds left, and the goal, I don’t know how many seconds there were left. It’s great that we manage to win today when we play ass, quite simply, he said to news. The last chance remains with the same feeling, and believes the handball boys should be “horribly satisfied” with the victory over Hungary. – This was a real hard-fought match, so it is strong of us to pull it off in the end, said the Kolstad goalkeeper. Later today, the host nation France and Egypt meet, before Denmark meet Argentina at 21:00 tonight. Denmark and Norway were the only teams with a full pot after two matches. NOT IMPRESSED: Jonas Wille was not impressed with what the boys delivered on the pitch, but was well satisfied with two important points. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB Struggling in defense After taking the lead early in the match, the Hungarians took more control of the match. Only stopped by a brilliant goalkeeping game by Torbjørn Bergerud. – They are not as good at running home as they are at running up, said former handball star Marit Malm Frafjord on TV Norge’s TV broadcast during the break. And good goalkeeper play from Bergerud was absolutely decisive in the first part of the match for the Norwegian handball men, who struggled forward in the field. – We are struggling very much against a well-established Hungarian defence, said Discovery expert Ole Gustad Gjekstad, and believed that Norway had it in the attacking game. Goalkeeper coach Steinar Ege recognized himself in that judgement. – We sloppy too much, and make too many technical mistakes, and that’s not good enough, Ege told news during the break. When asked what made Norway not succeed in the first instance, Blonz replies: – We can’t quite solve it. We miss some of our shots and have a lot of technical errors we shouldn’t have, he said. TOP SCORERS: Alexander Blonz. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB Top scorer One who, on the other hand, delivered forward in the field was the Olympic debutant from Stavanger, Alexander Blonz. The left winger, who plays daily in GOG Håndbold, delivered a total of five goals in the first half, before continuing the good trend after the break. In the end, the 24-year-old registered a total of nine goals, and recorded a scoring percentage of around 90 percent. Another who was also central was Simen Lyse, who scored six goals, three of which came in the last five minutes of the game. Including the 24-23 score after 57 minutes, which was the first time in the second half that Norway took the lead over the Hungarians after the break. – It was nerve-wracking at the end there, Lyse told TVNorge after the match. Published 31.07.2024, at 10.29 Updated 31.07.2024, at 11.44
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Norway beat Hungary in handball at the Olympics in Paris 2024 after the final seconds – Olympics Paris 2024
