Norway to the European Championship final against Denmark after a great victory against France – Dagsavisen
The golden match is played on Sunday with kick-off at 20.30. Montenegro and France square off for the bronze earlier the same day.
The final winner is guaranteed an Olympic place for the Games in Paris in 2024.
– It was a little redeeming. It was a long time coming. We messed up some bales when we had the opportunity to remove, but it loosened. It was a bit like pulling the plug. It leaked out, national team manager Thorir Hergeirsson told Viaplay.
Very rarely has a player dominated so strongly and dragged his Norwegian national team the way Stine Bredal Oftedal did in the 1st round. She was involved in «everything» in attack with scores (five) and initiative which led to five free throws. They scored Nora Mørk on.
Norway’s defensive play was back to top level and it frustrated France.
It was 12-11 to Norway at halftime. The goalkeeper battle in the 1st round ended with Silje Solberg-Østhassel just ahead of France’s Cléopâtre Darleux.
[ Keeper-Silje går for Frankrike-trippel – har reddet to gull for Norge ]
Waiting time
Norway went up to 17-14 early in the second round. It became 20-17 (43.30 minutes). France had to chase further in the half, but did not catch up.
Goals from championship debutants Sunniva Næs Andersen and Thale Rushfeldt Deila gave Norway a 24-19 buffer.
In the end, Solberg-Østhassel won the goalie match clearly. She ended the match with a great save.
Often was named the best player on the field after a brilliant performance.
– It was absolutely fantastic. It’s so nice to be able to do it. I’m just happy now. Today it was just a matter of going “all in”, Oftedal told the rights holder.
In the World Cup final last year, Norway turned the game against France and won clearly. This time too, the Norwegian girls were superior in the last half hour.
Denmark and Norway have not met in a final since the European Championship in 2004. Then it was a 27-25 Norwegian victory.
The Danes fought their way to 27-23 over Montenegro in their semi-final on Friday. Earlier in the EC, Denmark got rid of its Norway nightmare by winning 31-29 in the main round after 16 straight losses since 2014.
[ Danmark klar for EM-finale i håndball etter seier over Montenegro ]
23. curse
Norway is ready for its 23rd final in the Olympics, WC or EC. So far, 14 have been won and eight lost.
Friday’s semi-final was a meeting between the giants of recent years in women’s handball:
Norway with EC gold in 2020 and WC title last year, both after beating France in the final. The Olympic gold in 2021 ended up in French hands.
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COMBAT FACTS
Women’s EC Finals in Ljubljana, Slovenia Friday, Semi-Finals:
Norway – France 28-20 (12-11)
Arena Stožice: About 1500 spectators.
Norway: Silje Solberg-Østhassel, Katrine Lunde – Emilie Hegh Arntzen, Maren Aardahl, Stine Ruscetta Skogrand 1, Nora Mørk 8, Stine Bredal Oftedal 7, Malin Aune, Kristine Breistøl, Vilde Mortensen Ingstad 2, Henny Ella Reistad 5, Emilie Margrethe Hovden 1, Sunniva Næs Andersen 2, Anniken Wollik, Thale Rushfeldt Deila 1, Ane Cecilie Høgseth.
Top scorer France: Grace Zaadi Deuna 5.
Judges: Maike Merz/Tanja Küttler, Germany
Expulsion: Norway 1 x 2 min., France 2 x 2 min.
These are the Norwegian EC achievements, the championship was played for the first time in 1994:
* 2020: Seagull
* 2018: 5th place
* 2016: Seagull
* 2014: Seagull
* 2012: Silver
* 2010: Seagull
* 2008: Seagull
* 2006: Seagull
* 2004: Seagull
* 2002: Silver
* 1998: Seagull
* 1996: Silver
* 1994: Bronze
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