Norway turned 17-13 to 27-26 against the Netherlands on Tuesday and Thursday’s match against Serbia was almost a blueprint. Serbia led 17–14 at the break, but after the break the Norwegian team improved on all fronts. Sander Sagosen had been anonymous, not scoring a single goal and sitting on the bench for a good part of the first half. But in the second half it was the trønder who showed the way. With five goals in a 16-minute period, he helped turn 17–20 to 28–24 from the 38th minute to the 54th minute. – He has said when things are against me, then I am the one who will step forward. And he does that for Norway, said news’s handball commentator Patrick Sten Rowlands after the latter goal. In the final minutes, Norway had full control of the victory. – The aggressiveness you see now, it’s almost like you see a completely different team playing the second half for Norway, said news’s handball expert Håvard Tvedten. Norway eventually won 31–28. – We still have a very high top level when we hit and find the constellations, especially at the back of the pitch. There are still many uncertainties and it takes too long to find out how to actually play against the opponent in defence. You spend an inning on that, says Tvedten after the match. Norway now has six points in the main round, equal with Germany. The Netherlands are behind with four points, but Norway is ahead of the Netherlands in head-to-head matches. Thus, a Norwegian victory against already eliminated Qatar on Saturday can secure Norway a place in the quarter-finals with one match remaining in the main round, given that Germany takes points against the Netherlands. FRESH BREATH: After Sebastian Barthold had missed a couple of times at the start of the second half, Alexander Blonz came in. He thanked for the trust with four goals in five attempts. Photo: Piotr Hawalej / AP The Norwegian defense slaughtered in the break As against the Netherlands, Norway conceded a total of 17 goals in the first half against Serbia. – I miss a lot. It must hurt to join the Norwegian armed forces. I miss that there is someone who goes out and says here, but not anymore. It must be unpleasant to enter the Norwegian armed forces. Right now it seems like the best thing in the world to run in, because you can just shoot. I need one to kill one. Sorry, but that’s how it is, said Viaplay expert Joachim Boldsen during the break. Serbia also made the best start in the second half, leading 19–14. Norway’s star player Sander Sagosen had not scored a single goal, but after two quick scores seven or eight minutes into the half, Norway was only one goal behind: 19–20. Sagosen fired up the Norwegian spectators in the stands and after 42 minutes he equalized at 22-22, before left winger Alexander Blonz sent Norway into the lead for the first time in the match a minute later. – Completely different level we meet Kristian Sæverås was absolutely decisive when Norway turned the game against the Netherlands on Tuesday, but it was Torbjørn Bergerud who got the chance from the start against Serbia. However, there was little that went well defensively for Norway from the start. Bergerud did not save any of the first six shots he received at him and was replaced before ten minutes had been played. Nor did Sæverås manage to make an immediate difference and after 14 minutes Serbia led 9–6. – It is a completely different level that we are facing now. We can be satisfied with beating the Netherlands by one goal, but it is not at the level we are playing now. It is on a completely different (level), both physical and technical handball that we now meet in this main round, said handball expert Tvedten. A minute and a half later came the first Norwegian goalkeeper save, when the game clock showed 15.35. LOSS IN THE FIRST HALF: Kristian Sæverås had to pick a number of balls out of the net in the first half. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB Three goals behind at half-time The scores still came on a conveyor belt for Serbia in the next few minutes as well and they had a four-goal lead at 13-9 and 15-11. After the latter, national team coach Jonas Wille took a timeout. – We have to do something about our defence, that is, Tvedten said, and was supported by Wille: – Defensively, we have far too little intensity. When we first step forward, we must be wholeheartedly forward and trust that the others will take care of the back. There will be a middle ground there, Wille said during the timeout. At the break, Serbia went into the dressing room with a three-goal lead, 17–14. But as against the Netherlands on Tuesday, it was Norway who were the best in the second half and in the end won relatively comfortably, 31–28.
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