Before Tuesday’s match, both Norway and the Netherlands were ready for the main round of the Handball World Cup, but Tuesday’s match was to decide who went on as group winner from Group F. In the first half, the Netherlands occasionally played havoc with Norway and went into the break with a 17-13- management. – We are sometimes played backwards. They play with us. Luc Steins is one of them, who sets all this up. But there are also Kay Smits and (Dani) Baijens. They attack wide and play out to the wing players, said news’s handball expert Håvard Tvedten when the teams went into the dressing room. In the second half, Norway took the lead and equalized at 20-20 with 20 minutes remaining. The Netherlands nevertheless held firm and with four minutes remaining the score was 24-24. When it mattered most, however, Norway was the best and finally secured the victory, 27-26. – We avoid the horror here. This is far below the level we should be at if we are to fight with the good nations. It is a first half where we are sometimes played round. The excuse is that you meet a slightly unorthodox team, with an unorthodox who makes a lot of noise for us, says Tvedten in summary after the match. As a result, Norway won all their matches in the group stage and can take four points into the main round, where they will face Germany, Serbia and Qatar (in addition to the Netherlands and group three Argentina). – What is very good is that we are able to turn this around. It is a strength that you have to take with you from a match like this, the fact that we are able to turn it around. It shows mental strength, says Tvedten. Netherlands off to a flying start In the run-up to the match, Luc Steins was the main topic of conversation. The lightning-quick centre-back showed why from the start and was last or second last on the ball in 12 of the Netherlands’ first 15 scores. – One would almost think that Luc Steins is corona and that we don’t dare to touch him, said news’s handball commentator Patrick Sten Rowlands about Steins’ big game during the first half. At most, the Netherlands led by six goals, the last when the aforementioned Steins sneaked into the line and scored 15–9. – Now it’s Christmas Eve for that man over there. Now there are almost limits to what can go, said Viaplay’s expert commentator Kristian Kjelling. Norway finished the half better, but the Netherlands had a lead of four goals at the break, at 17–13. BIG GAME: Luc Steins was the big player of the match in the first half and was named the best player on the pitch. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB Turning the game around in the second half, Norway had then tried almost every defensive option to stop the Dutch full-backs. That without significant success. – They look terrified every time he comes with the ball, Rowlands said of Norway’s defensive game against Steins. But the second half was to be a big contrast to the first. Where Norway struggled with barrage of shots, technical errors and sloppy defensive play in the first half, it was Norway who got the goalkeeper saves in the second half – at the same time that the Netherlands also messed it up in their own attacking play a number of times. In the end, it ended with a Norwegian one-goal victory, 27–26,
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Norway was outplayed – fought back and secured group victory – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
