Loss in first match in Gjensidige Cup
Finally, it was ready for the Handball guys to go into action again. This time in the Gjensidige Cup in Trondheim Spektrum, which will be the last match training for the boys before the European Championships in Slovakia in January. The first match was against the reigning world champions Denmark, but without the star players Mikkel Hansen and Niklas Landin.
Petter Øverby scored the first goal of the match after three goalless minutes, but only a minute later Denmark scored their first goal. Denmark continued at a good pace and quickly came up in a lead.
It did not take long before the Norwegian Handball guys equalized and it was 3-3 after eight minutes. After a half-played first half, Denmark was again ahead with that, and increased to three. Christian Berge tried several players and compositions on the field, but it did not hold up.
Norway comes one goal behind, but no longer in the first place, despite good efforts and among other things five goals signed Sander Sagosen. Just before the break, Denmark came up with a four-goal lead, but the Norwegian boys managed to catch three of the goals before the break. They never managed to set the equalizing goal, and it was thus 13-14 and the Danish lead at the break.
The second half started with a bang and the Norwegian guys quickly took back the one-goal lead Denmark had at the break. Sagosen also got his second suspension after just four minutes. The first ten minutes of the second half the teams followed each other closely and it was 20-20.
Kent Robin Tønnesen and Simen Holand Pettersen, among others, showed the shooting arm in the second half, but the away team did not give up and came both one and two goals ahead. With ten minutes left of the second half, it stood 25-27.
With just over five minutes left of the match, Denmark came back ahead with four goals. The Norwegian guys did not give up, and they managed to get back to the goal and it was 28-30 with only one and a half minutes left of the match. But a couple of booms from Norway and a new hit from Denmark later it was decided. The handball boys lost 28-31 to the reigning world champions.
Norway will play its next match in the Gjensidige Cup against the Netherlands on Saturday 6 November at 16.45. On Sunday at the same time, Olympic winner France awaits in Trondheim Spektrum. You can watch both matches on TV 2 / Play.
MATCH FACTS
Mutual Cup
Norway – Denmark 28-31 (13-14)
Trondheim Spektrum
Topscorer Norway: Sander Sagosen – 11 goals
Topscorer Denmark: Emil Jakobsen – 5 goals
Expulsions: Norway 4x2min, Denmark 7×2 min
See full match report here.
Read more about Gjensidige Cup.