Bang start for Glenn Solberg’s Sweden in the handball WC
(Sweden – Brazil 26–18) Glenn Solberg and Sweden are considered big favorites in the handball World Cup, and when star goalkeeper Andreas Palicka (36) closed the cage, there was little Brazil could do.
The Norwegian coach manages the reigning European champions, and Sweden were clear favorites when they met Brazil at home.
The Handball World Cup is played partly in Sweden and partly in Poland, and Sweden has had its opening matches in Gothenburg.
However, at times the Swedes’ attacking game was a little off, in a match where the goalkeepers at both ends of the pitch impressed. At the break it was just 11-9 to Sweden. But in addition to the second round, Andreas Palicka closed the Swedish cage completely again, at the same time as big profile Jim Gottfridsson took responsibility going forward.
The home crowd responded with regular roars of «Palicka» tactfully throughout the last quarter of the match.
Brazil couldn’t keep up as the Swedish party took hold towards the end, and in the end it was a typical victory for the yellow and blue.
And Palicka finished with a solid 49 percent save percentage.
– This is like my living room. It is the best arena in the world, Palicka told Aftonbladet after the victory.
– Today we are bringing the audience with us. It was a bit of premiere nerves and stiff bodies. But we give each other energy and manage to win the match quite comfortably, he adds.
Coach Solberg has caused a stir before the match by claiming that Sweden is not even one of his three favorites to take the gold.
– There are eight, not teams, that can win medals, and there are three teams that stand out and are bigger favorites than the others, he said to Swedish Aftonbladet before the WC premiere.
When asked who he thinks are the favourites, the Norwegian answered Denmark, Spain and France.
Confronted with Solberg’s statement, the Danish players Mikkel Hansen and Henrik Møllgaard reply that they think Solberg is only saying this to ease the pressure on the Swedes.
Sweden won the gold last year after an intense EC final against Spain, which was decided in the last minute when the Swedes scored the goal 27–26. A somewhat injury-plagued Norway then finished fifth. This year, Jonas Wille has been able to choose from an injury-free squad that has both Magnus Abelvik Rød and Gøran Johannessen back.
Norway kicks off the World Cup with a match against North Macedonia on Friday evening at 8.30pm. That match is broadcast on TV 3 and Viaplay. At the same time, Denmark starts its WC against Belgium.
Iceland also comes to the WC with a strong squad, and is considered an outsider in the medal match. They got off to a good start at the World Cup when Portugal were beaten 30–26.
All results from today’s matches in the Handball WC:
- Cape Verde – Uruguay 33–25
- Saudi Arabia – Slovenia 19-33
- Chile – Iran 24–25
- Hungary – South Korea 35-27
- Ø – Portugal 30–26
- Sweden – Brazil 26–18
- Spain – Montenegro 30-25
Get a full overview of Norway’s matches and the entire broadcast schedule in the handball WC her!