– It is completely incredible. That’s a huge level! says Max expert Ole Gustav Gjekstad about Lunde’s achievements. Norway’s handball girls are ready for the Olympic final in handball after beating Denmark in the semi-finals. The result was 25–21. The Danes pushed, pushed and pushed against the Norwegian defence. And at the back stood a 44-year-old picking “the rest”. This resulted in a solid victory for Norway. – We were solid at the back with Katrine. And that is a lot of the reason why we won this match, says coach Thorir Hergeirsson to Max. Won the goalkeeper duel Norway were big favorites against Denmark, having beaten them by nine goals both in the run-up to the Games and in the group stage. The match started evenly – and with little goal. 20 minutes into the half it was 6-5 to Norway. GOOD: Kari Brattset Dale scored four times in four attempts in the first half. Photo: AP But towards the end of the half, Norway increased the lead, thanks in large part to tremendous goalkeeping by Katrine Lunde. When the break signal went, she had saved 50 percent of the Danes’ shots. – Lunde had an extremely good first half, says news expert Håvard Tvedten. Because just like when the teams met in the group stage, it was the goalkeepers who were perhaps the biggest difference. Silje Solberg-Østhassel did very well in that match. And when Norway used Lunde in the last quarter, she saved 88 percent of the shots. – She wore them out from the start. You saw that their confidence was not there. They didn’t want to go for the goal and didn’t want to be tackled by our defence, said Lunde after that game. – Insane 50 percent ACTIVE: Thorir Hergeirsson is often calm on the sidelines, but against Denmark he was very engaged. Photo: AFP The Danes needed a big opening in the second half to get back into the game, but seven minutes into the half they had only scored once. Two of the attacks were stopped by very good saves from Lunde. – Lunde’s save percentage is an insane 50 percent. She is too wild, reported the Danish newspaper BT Avisen Ekstra Bladet also focuses on the Norwegian veteran. “You can certainly do a lot when you turn 40. But starting in a semi-final in the Olympics, and being really good, is not one of them,” reports the newspaper. The Danes scored a few times, and Lunde’s save percentage decreased slightly. And with seven minutes left to play, Silje Solberg-Østhassel got the chance between the posts. Norway, who led with seven goals, let the Danes into the game a bit at the end. The lead shrank to three goals, but when the Danes’ Anne Mette Hansen was sent off two minutes before the end, the last hope for the Danes disappeared. Earlier on Thursday, France won the second semi-final after a dramatic match against Sweden. Superveteran The victory means that Norway is guaranteed a minimum of silver in the championship. And with either gold or silver, Lunde has secured his 18th championship medal for Norway. VETERAN: A young Katrine Lunde was among Norway’s best players in the semi-final against Hungary in 2004. Photo: AFP The first gold came in the EC 20 years ago. Then she was one of the big players in the semi-finals. Team captain Stine Bredal Oftedal has announced that she will join the national team after the Olympics. Now the last match will be an Olympic final. – It’s very, very big, sorry. So it’s not finished either. I think it was just a crazy discharge. I am incredibly happy and proud to be in a final. Having the opportunity to fight for the best. I think we are playing absolutely fantastic, especially at the back Published 08/08/2024, at 22.56 Updated 08.08.2024, at 23.16
ttn-69
Norway to the Olympic final in handball – Olympic Paris 2024
