handnews [handnews.blogspot.com]

You have to give credit where credit is due. The IHF made a quite successful revamping of their site. It proved very informative during the World Championship. Particular credit for the photos they provided.

Leading Danish handball site Europamester.dk has made a significant layout change - to the better I might add. They got rid of their left-side frame and freshened up the design to improve the navigation. But they did keep Line Daugaard as their center of focus at this comprehensive multimedia site. No change to Christina Roslyng this time around.

SD Itxako Estella is one the best sides in the Spanish 'División de Honor'. They have experienced international players like Bogdanova, Martynenko and Gogirla in their cadre and a very nice web front.

Boldnyt.com - a site solely dedicated to handball news - has unfortunately closed. But Haandbold.com - which I have been recommending for a while - popped up recently and is doing an excellent job. On top of that, Handballsite.com opened a short time ago. It is based in Viborg and apparently cooperating with a trio of Viborg HK players in some way or the other. It already has a very good news sections, and is generally trying to be quite entrepreneurial. I hope it succeeds. Note: They are all in Danish.

Finally I have decided to correct my link for SK Aarhus. They have abandoned byenspiger.dk in favour of skaarhus.dk. I thought their old site was so much better, but the new one has expanded over the last month or so. The site is still mixed with the basketball and volleyball departments of the club, but there's improvement.

Well-known Austrians Birgit Engl and Sylvia Strass play for the Icelandic club IBV (Vestmannaeyjar). Former Ikast and national player Anja Nielsen also moved there this season. IBV take part in the Challenge Cup where they meet a Bulgarian club in January. Their site is regularly updated - their most recent news item seems to be the awarding of Icelandic citizenship to Anna Yakova, formerly Ukraine. But maybe I'm misreading it.

Madeira Andebol SAD is the top women's club in Portugal. They have a fairly informative site. I particularly enjoyed the section with the top goal scorers in their history. Tanja Milanovic, the SCG and Randers player, scored 769 goals in 120 matches during her tenure in Portugal. Barbara Brauer also knows how to score a goal or two. Nikoletta Brigovácz is perhaps their most famous current player. She won the European Championship with Hungary in 2000.

Next up: The Romanian Handball Federation (Federatio Romana de Handbal). Looks good. Found very detailed information about the Romanian league. And here's the Greek one - or Hellenic if you like. Still in its infancy. Not much to see. Moving on.

This is the handball section of the sports web site from Croatian national television. Plenty of RealPlayer clips, some from the World Championship.

The handball department of the Croatian Sportnet. They like the men more, though, and I doubt the World Championship changed that. I can't really figure out exactly what this site does. Other than it appears to be linked with a Croatian club from Split. They do have some league results for the top women's division, though, and that's why I'm mentioning it.

Moving on to Serbia. Here's the handball news from Serbian state television.

A Hungarian site, sportforum.hu, also offers handball news. I wish my Hungarian was a bit brisker than it is. It's roughly on the same level as my Mandarin.

Handball.hu has already put the WCh in Croatia behind them. I understand why - no reason to dwell with that final for too long if you have a Hungarian passport. They are building up to Athens 2004 and the ECh 2004 instead. That's the great thing about handball. There's always a new championship around the corner. I have a feeling that Jan Pytlick wants to erase the memories of Croatia as well, while a certain Krumbholz has something to tell his great grandchildren one day. Oh well, a link to the handball section of the Athens site.

The Polish club Nata AZS of Gdansk took part in the TV2 Cup in Denmark in the pre-season. They are one of the top sides in Poland and have a web site at some Polish sports portal it seems.

Montex (or Bystrzyca, as they seem to be called frequently) is not the only club in Poland, let alone Lublin. MKS Zaglebie Lublin is fairly strong and it has a beautifully designed web site. The individual photos of the players are framed quite interesting, if you manage to find them.

And here's a link to the unofficial fan site of another Polish top club, Vitaral Jelfa Jelenia Gora. I have no idea what that name means, but it sounds impressive.

And another Polish side in the top division with a very nice web presence: MMKS Piotrcovia. I can't say I'm too familiar with any of the players. But it does look as if they take their sport seriously.

I have previously mentioned these two personal player sites, belonging to Nina Wörz - German national player - and Alexandra Uhlig. Both of Leipzig. But I forgot to put them on the "Recent" list.

Lunner IL finished number one in the Norwegian Division 1 this fall, and thus moves into Gilde B with playoff chances (a new complex league system has been introduced).

Levanger HK finished 3rd in the same division, but is more famous for providing a player to the Norwegian national team. Berit Hynne, who plays back in Levanger, was called up by Marit Breivik as a left wing.

If they are not there already, I will be placing these links in the right column eventually.

# posted 12:31 |

Aalborg Close Out Aarhus

Aalborg DH were hungry for action after more than a month in hiatus because of the World Championship. And SK Aarhus had to pay the price. In front of a 3,875 strong home crowd in the Gigantium arena, Aalborg dismissed SK Arhus 32-25 (15-12) to snatch up their fourth win of the season.

Old Viborg pals Astrup (9/6) and Deriouguina (7) hit half of Aalborg's goals, while Beatrix Benyats (5) and Erika Nilsson (4) also made a mark. SK Aarhus could count on Marianne Rokne (9/6), Camilla Transel (3), Maja Grönbaek (3), and Christina K. Pedersen (3) for their goals.

# posted 10:50 |

December 19, 2003

Anja Andersen: "Low Technical Level"

Slagelse coach and former World Handballer Anja Andersen is criticizing the technical level at the World Championship in Croatia. She points to the final, claiming that it had 45 technical mistakes as compared to only 3 in the 1990 World Championship final.

She pins the alleged difference on overstrained players, maintaining that many of them were tending minor injuries and suffering after an overpacked schedule.

The last couple of points may have some merit, but I'm still astonished at the level of ignorance displayed. Does she really believe that only three technical mistakes were committed in 60 minutes of play in the 1990 final? I haven't seen it myself, but I find that unfathomable considering what is known about the technical aspects of women's handball in that era.

Even the most technically gifted men's teams of today can't go that low. Maybe she is unaware that virtually everything that doesn't result in a goal or a shot on goal is counted as a technical fault in modern statistics.

Therefore, these stats are highly misleading. A sudden, and clever steal from a defender is counted as a technical mistake. A blocked pass to a pivot is also registered as such.

It's nonsensical to claim that the technical level was higher in 1990. In terms of speed, tactics, and technical play it was far removed from today. Of course, when the game is slower, fewer technical mistakes are to be expected - although 3 is completely unrealistic. But does slow equal more attractive?

The Koreans helped change the predominant style of play with their Olympic victories in Seoul and Barcelona - and Denmark did their part as well in the mid-90's. Ironically, with Anja Andersen playing a major role herself.

They overtook the much more convential teams from the Soviet Union - and later on Russia - who had dominated in the 80's and won their last great title in 1990 by defeating Yugoslavia (in 2001 Russia were back on top with a much more modern team, although still influenced by the old receipe).

They had many wonderful players in their squad then. Marina Basanova and Ausrele Ziukiene - yes, that Ausrele - to name a couple (the great Turtschina was not part of the 1990 squad). But they were also very one-sided in relying heavily on traditional set-ups to the backs who would fire off shots from the distance.

With players like Morskova and other physical mastodonts in the side, that's hardly surprising. In the defense, they weren't exactly fast, but they took advantage of their size against teams that didn't have the technical or tactical skills to undermine them.

Today, we have much greater depth in the international elite. Both on national and club level. Club handball is many times more professional and competive than in the days when Spartak Kiev reigned supreme. And this is obviously reflected in a number of ways - clear technical improvements being one of them.

# posted 12:45 |

December 18, 2003

Germany: Battle of the Sexes, HCL Masters

Bundesliga leaders Frankfurter HC won a rather unusual match on Wednesday as they met a men's team from a lower league in the city of Müncheburg. Frankfurt beat the men from HSV Müncheberg/Buckow, fifth in the so-called 'Landesliga Nord-Ost', a fairly convincing 40-29. Lithuanian Lina Spalviene (8) and Danish pivot Maja Sommerlund (8, picture) scored the most goal for the women of Frankfurt.

The field for the exhibition event in Leipzig, the HCL Masters, has been announced. It is played between Christmas and New Year's Eve, and the prize money is 57.000.

The six participants:

HC Leipzig (GER)
DJK/MJC Trier (GER)
Krim Eta Malizia (SLO)
Podravka Vegeta (CRO)
Hypo NÖ (AUS)
Györi Graboplast ETO KC (HUN)

According to the organizers, 43 World Championship players with a combined total of more than 2,000 national team matches are expected in Leipzig from December 27-30.

# posted 20:35 |

WCh Croatia 2003: Rank and Evaluation

1. France

Won a truly unforgettable final to grab the 16th World Championship. The French cruised in the preliminary round, but was pushed to the limit in the main round as they lost to Korea - despite almost closing an 8-goal gap in the second half. With Olympic qualification and their first major title secured, Croatia was a dream come true for Krumbholz and his players. The comeback queens.

2. Hungary

Will a team ever come closer to winning a World Championship without actually doing so? The best attacking side of the tournament was involved in the three most memorable matches: The scandalous blackout against Norway, the outrageous goal-spectacle against Korea, and the incomprehensible implosion against France. This is a side that will be hungrier than ever in Athens - and a few months later when they host the European Championship.

3. Korea

With Lim and Oh back in the squad, Korea looks close to the mid-90's level. One of the real surprise packages as few expected much after their below-average showing at the Asian Olympic qualification. Im-Jeong Choi, Sang-Eun Lee, Sun-Hee Woo - this is a side packed with offensive talent. Only non-European team in the top 15 of the tournament. They beat the new World Champions - and pushed Hungary to the limit along the way. Convincing bronze final - but they do tend to lose breath in the last 15 minutes.

4. Ukraine

With Tsygitsa back in the side after missing a few major tournaments, it really shouldn't have come as that great a surprise that this team could do well. Tsygitsa and Verhelyuk were the main reasons behind the Euro 2000 silver - this time they were united again with Tsygitsa as the overwhelming force. Scoring the decider against Norway in the first round, the Kometal player fully demonstrated her technical style of attacking in Croatia. Will curse themselves for letting the opportunity slip against France, but a trip to Greece is still not a bad outcome.

5. Spain

It wasn't really a shock that they did so well. They had shown promising signs already a year ago, and their preparation tournaments went smoothly as well. With the days of legendary Morskova behind them, they are now a much more homogenous side with an aggressive defense in North African style. They banned the favoured Norwegians from the Olympic tournament with a sweet victory to round off the tournament. Susanna Fraile has stepped forward to receive acclaim at the very highest level.

6. Norway

Perhaps the biggest favourites of all, Norway made it no secret that the gold medals were a realistic goal. Ukraine put a damper on their optimism on opening night. Except for a strong showing against Romania and a fine draw with Hungary, they never fully recovered. The win against Slovenia wasn't enough to reach the semis, and instead a test against Spain awaited them. A final chance for rehabilitation that they failed to take advantage of, perhaps the relative inexperience of the side shining through.

7. Russia

The defending champions never came close to their 2001 level. Still, they were only one goal away from the semifinals at the expense of Korea. Yet another team that will be cursing a close match against France. With hard-hitter Tchaussova retired because her boyfriend apparently told her so, and defensive obstructor and wing extraordinarie Turey missing the tournament at the last moment, they weren't at full throttle. Poltoratskaya and Muravyeva werent't exactly exuberant, while Kareeva was perhaps their best offensive weapon. Youngster Liudmila Postnova, however, was impressive when she was given the chance. A name for the future. And a team for the future. Considering their dominance at youth level.

8. Slovenia

Virtually identical to Krim's Champions League-winning squad, a little extra should perhaps be excepted from this team. Derepasko (formerly Ukraine) is the newest nationalized addition to the team. Except for a brutal beating against Hungary, they performed respectably thoughout. Playmaker Silvana Ilic was a particular joy to watch, while Derepasko again proved that she is much more than a heavy shotmaker. And let's not forget Tanja Oder who made the All-Star team. They came close to upsetting Norway for an Olympic playoff and handed Denmark a crushing defeat.

9. Serbia and Montenegro

The roller-coaster team. With losses to Spain and France accompanying them, they looked hopelessly lost in the main round. But their two most impressive matches followed: Victories over Russia and Korea. But then they wasted it all as Austria whitewashed them to make the World Championship a failure. Perhaps the lack of Medved and Jovovic in the side played a part, but they still posess a formidable attack focused around Petrovic. It's the defense that tends to drop out - as their bizarre 44-41 victory over Brazil shows.

10. Romania

A team that never quite seems to fulfill the expectations on senior level. Recovering from injury, their left back star Carmen Lungu played an insignificant role, while Simona Gogirla was reduced to a penalty shooter. This put too much strain on Luca and Bradeanu, and their attacking punch suffered. Should have upended Ukraine as they had them outplayed in the second half. Then suffered a huge blow against Norway to diminish their hopes in the main round. Rounded off the tournament with a good win over Germany.

11. Austria

Finished far removed from the stated objective of Olympic qualification. Except for the beating they handed to Serbia when they had nothing more to play for, Austria had a disappointing tournament. Russia and Korea proved too strong in the preliminary round. They came close against France and Spain after solid showings, but lost Logvin with a facial injury. Their other main star Fridrikas was rested against Serbia, and this gave room for a gifted player like Ofenböck to shine.

12. Germany

The only team to beat the Hungarians - at least in ordinary time. With Jurack as their head attraction, the Germans consistently played close matches - and lost. With Danilovic disappointing, their left back could use some reinforcement to move further ahead. 12th place doesn't quite do them justice - they are very close to the top teams and played some of the most fine-polished handball in the tournament.

13. Denmark

The worst showing in more than a decade for the reigning European and Olympic champions. Arguably, the 10th place out of just 12 teams at the European Championship 2000 was worse. Granted, the preliminary group was perhaps the most difficult, and the 20-20 draw against Germany wasn't bad. But the trashings endured at the hands of Slovenia and Hungary verged on the embarrassing. Putting the numerous injuries aside, the team was exposed as completely lacking a decent organized attack.

14. Croatia

The host nation also had a difficult group to navigate. And, as it turned out, it was just a bit too difficult to handle as Croatia kept losing the deciding matches. With veterans Bubalo and Kolega from Brodosplit in the side to compliment the Podravka contingent with Culjak, Vresk, Hodak, and Stancin - plus up-and-coming players like Arslanaganic and Pusic from Zagreb - you could have expected more from the home team.

15. Czech Rep.

The Czechs have evidently regressed over the last year. Without Lenka Romanova they were not nearly as dangerous in offense - despite the presence of Fabulous Fabikova (no, that's not her birth name) on center back. Neither Zamorska, Plaminkova, or Vaskova were convincing from the backcourt. This could be the international farewell tournament of super-wing Petra Cumplova who came away with 25 (16) goals. But the Czechs do have a good chance of qualifying for Euro 2004 in Hungary, so let's wait and see.

16. Japan

Best non-European team after bronze medalists Korea. They were a late entry to the tournament after Kazakhstan backed out and did acceptably under those conditions. Finished off Argentina as expected and recorded a good win against Tunisia. Actually held a lead against Ukraine at half time, but were dumped in the second. Their star Aiko Hayafune averaged 8 goals pr. match, but could have been more efficient from the 7m line (70 percent).

17. Angola

Unlike 2001, the top African side didn't have surprises in store this time. Took out Uruguay and played a good match against Russia as they only lost by 4 goals. But otherwise couldn't contain the European sides. French club players Kiala and Bengue expectedly led the way.

18. Tunisia

18th place doesn't quite do their performance justice - although they lost to Japan. After all, this was the country which was only defeated by two goals in the matches against Norway and Romania. Chebba Mouna was their most prolific scorer, but Raja, Rafika, and Haifa also contributed well to this much-improved side.

19. China

Headed by notorious coach Dr. Chung and 2002 World Handballer, Zhao Chai, the Olympic qualifiers were one of the disappointments. Their attacking skills shouldn't be underestimated, but the defending leaves a lot to be desired. Yun Liu was perhaps the worst defensive player of the tournament. Chao Zhai (35 goals) was their offensive highlight, but the optimistic teenager Shasha Wang and Weiwei Li also made a mark. Except for the victory against Ivory Coast, they suffered against the Europeans. But they did push Hungary and Germany.

20. Brazil

Managed to score 41 goals against Serbia and Montenegro. But still lost. That, and the slim 25-27 loss to Spain were the best moments of their tournament. Milene Figueiredo, the 2003 Junior World Championship top scorer, didn't get much air play by coach Scheider. Instead, Aline Santos was their attacking ace - with one of the highest efficiencies from the backcourt of any player in Croatia. The Olympic participants performed the anticipated demolition job on Australia, but still have a distance to go.

21. Ivory Coast

They endured a couple of vicious beatings - against Hungary and Germany - but came very close to defeating Denmark if they had been a bit cooler when it mattered. Also gave Slovenia a good scare. But couldn't handle the Chinese in the clash where they had the best odds. Mambo showed off her massive shot and proved to be one of the revelations of the tournament. Line player Gondo and back Dosso also showed that they are used to playing on a decent level in the French league.

22. Argentina

Their best result was losing to Japan by 8 goals. Case closed.

23. Australia

Their best chance for an upset was against Brazil. But they lost 30-19. Other than that, the second half against Serbia in the first round wasn't that appalling either.

24. Uruguay

The weakest team of all. Uruguay is blatant proof that the level in the pan-American zone is not such that it can be sportingly justified to award three places at a World Championship to this continental federation.

# posted 14:09 |

Andersen Lands 15, Myaro and Cano Honoured

The jubilations after the World Championship came to an abrupt end for Stephanie Cano and Nodjialem Myaro as they were back in their respective club sides on Wednesday for a meeting between Kolding and Slagelse in the Danish league.

Slagelse's Cano sustained a minor ankle injury in the final that forced her to look on from the outside after the two French players had been bestowed by flowers and applause from the 2,000 in attendance in Kolding ahead of the match. Nodjialem Myaro was fresh enough to play, at least physically, and scored twice for the home team.

But that was far from enough to stop the Danish champions who cruised to a 35-21 (15-12) victory to grab their 9th win of the season. Camilla Andersen plowed in 15 (4) goals for the visitors, while World Championship participants Fridrikas and Petrovic hit 4 goals apiece. Valentina Radulovic (fomerly Tarculovska) reached a similar number. Slovenia's Anja Freser settled for one goal.

# posted 11:57 |

December 17, 2003

Danish Transfer News: Petrovic Stays Put

Slagelse FH has extended the contract with Serbian star Bojana Petrovic for two further seasons until the summer of 2006. Petrovic was allegedly sought after by Ikast/Bording and Aalborg DH, but eventually chose to remain under the auspices of Anja Andersen.

Another reason for her stay in Slagelse is boyfriend and manager Petar Popovic who plays basketball in a nearby city.

# posted 12:23 |

December 16, 2003

The 16 World Champions

The comeback was dazzling, the celebration was uninhited. Finally the great generation of French women's handball reached the top of the podium. They came desperately close in 1999, and I'm sure they know precisely how their opponents feel after that historic Sunday in Zagreb.

With bronze medals from Euro 2002, they arrived in Croatia as one of the big five favourites. When most of their main rivals fell by the wayside, they kept themselves in contention. And even when they looked absolutely crushingly lost - with the crowd and the scoreline stacked against them - they never gave up hope.

Proving that their biggest star is the team, and the greatest resource their experience. You don't get to a World Championship final by coincidence. And you don't win it by accident. Even if luck played a part along the way - skill was always needed.

Joanne Dudziak (HBC Nimes)

She's only the second keeper choice. Yet, she is ranked as the top goaltender of Croatia 2003 with her massive save percentage. No doubt she is a gifted goalie, but the explanation for her succes is two-fold: Firstly, the notorious strength of the French defense which will always benefit a keeper. Secondly, that she was mostly used for the easier French games, while Nicolas was typically fielded against the top shotmakers in the world. Still, Dudziak was an impressive backup.

Valerie Nicolas (Viborg HK)

Named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, perhaps somewhat surprisingly. But there is no denying her charisma and untamed fighting spirit. The matches against Ukraine and Russia stand out as her personal pinnacles, while she didn't quite make a mark in the final - until extra time. Not a bad time to shine, of course.

Estelle Vogein (Metz Metropole)

Substitute for Cano on right wing. But a super-sub indeed. Immensely efficient on her few shots, in fact she was close to 90 percent after hitting 16 goals on 18 attempts. Granted, some of them were fast break putaways, but she also converted reliably from the wing.

Leile Lejeune (Viborg HK)

Missed the European Championship 2002, but the great offensive star of France returned in style. With 42 goals the most proficient on the team. She struggled occasionally, but that was a general trend of the French attack.

Sandrine Delerce (Besancon)

A refined woman to watch on a handball court, perhaps the most creative of all the French players. Had her ups and downs, but always worked hard for the team.

Melinda Jacques (Metz Metropole)

The native Hungarian is one of the tallest players in the tournament. Capable of firing off technically sophisticated shots of considerable power from right back, but sometimes slows the French attack down. 33 goals is a respectable yield considering the time she spent on the bench. A useful joker.

Nodjialem Myaro (KIF Kolding)

Was only drafted as the 16th player - in the very last moment. A sensible player in defense, and sometimes contributing well in attack. Except on penalties. She missed half of her 10 throws on 7-metres.

Veronique Pecqueux-Rolland (Besancon)

In many ways the central figure of the side. Extremely valuable as the centerforward in the 5:1 defense. Stealing balls and always ready to counter-attack.

Myriam Said Mohamed (Besancon)

Played a subdued role for the team as she sat out most of the matches together with Cendier.

Isabelle Cendier Ajaguin (Metz Metropole)

See above. Maybe more responsibility awaits her next year.

Sophie Herbrecht (Besancon)

Worked hard in defense and made a solid effort in attack. The youngster has established herself on the national team and will be a player of the future.

Stephanie Cano (Slagelse)

Didn't reach the heights of the European Championship, but is still a right wing of high quality. Always luring to set off in a fast break.

Isabelle Wendling (Metz Metropole)

One of the cornerstones of the impressive French defense, while also an asset in attack. Although her All-Star status is rather questionable when reviewing her overall performance in the tournament.

Myriame Korfanty (Mios Biganos)

Didn't see much action until the final. But then she certainly made her presence felt with several crucial goals on fast breaks.

Stephanie Ludwig (Metz Metropole)

The experienced Ludwig has been downgraded to second choice on left wing, but with more than 150 national team caps behind her she has served her country well and did this time as well.

Raphaelle Tervel (Besancon)

The left wing is one of the youngest players in the rather dated French side. A skilled defender who likes to move high to disrupt the opponent's attack.

# posted 20:51 |

Popular Final in Denmark

Denmark was ousted early from Croatia. But the television viewers didn't abandon the tournament. The final on Sunday, which was broadcast on TV 2, reached an average of almost 1.2 million viewers in the second half and extra time and was the single most watched programme in Denmark all week.

The match between Denmark and Hungary last Sunday topped the rankings the previous week as it attracted almost 1.5 million viewers. Throughout that week, the Danish team pulled in similar numbers.

The main round of the tournament was shown on TV 2's smaller sister channel Zulu, which is only available on satellite or cable. But in relative numbers, it also did extremely well. The second half between Norway and Slovenia attracted close to 200,000 viewers as the most popular programme all week.

Impressive backing from the Danish viewership.

# posted 14:11 |

December 15, 2003

Euro 2004 Playoffs: Poland vs. Spain Again

The draw for the 11 playoffs for qualification to the European Championship finals in Hungary from December 9-19 was carried out in Zagreb on Sunday. The matches will be played in late May and the beginning of June.

Bulgaria - Croatia
Macedonia - Germany
Lithuania - Austria
Poland - Spain
Slovakia - Serbia/Montenegro
Switzerland - Sweden
Azerbaijan - Belarus
Turkey - Slovenia
Portugal - Ukraine
Iceland - Czech Rep.
Netherlands - Romania

Comment: Poland missed the World Championship after losing the playoff to Spain with just one goal. They will be hungry for revenge against the Olympic qualifiers. Germany know they are very close to the international elite after their showing in Croatia. They will need to prove that against Macedonia. Netherlands vs. Romania could also be an exciting encounter, while it's hard to imagine any of the 8 favourites slipping up. The Czech Republic, Serbia, and Austria need to be the most careful. But it takes major upsets to rattle them.

Directly qualified:
Denmark (#1 at Euro 2002)
Norway (#2)
France (#3)
Russia (#4)
Hungary (#5, and host nation)

Venues: Bekescsaba, Budapest, Debrecen, Györ and Zalaegerszeg. The draw to settle the preliminary groups will take place on June 10 2004.

# posted 22:42 |

What Went Wrong?

No one knows for sure what happened to Hungary in Sydney 2000 when Denmark closed a big gap in the second half. Some of the decisions of Mocsai were dubious, but it wasn't a disaster that struck. Most teams can have bad spells that allow the opponent back in. What happened in Zagreb was in a different category. It was a breakdown, a blackout, a collapse. Or whatever we wish to call it. But exactly why it happened is difficult to figure out. Premature jubilation, sloppiness, bad coaching, simple misfortune, fighting French players? Perhaps a combination.

Let's check and see what actually transpired in those infamous last seven minutes. Names in bold are players who made a mistake for Hungary.

52:37 Farkas finds Görbicz with a an excellent pass. Breakthrough goal. 25-18.

52:56 Jacques-Szabo scores from the center after a clumsy tackle from Ferling. The suspension for Ferling, her third, is a bit harsh. Hungary lose their star left back for the rest of the match. A player who makes few technical mistakes and is good against aggressive defenses. MISTAKE.

53:21 Farkas makes a technical mistake as she takes four steps. Correct decision. MISTAKE.

53:44 Farkas dribbles right in front of Korfanty who steals the ball from her. MISTAKE.

54:11 Cano scores from the wing in French power-play. No one to blame. 25-20.

54:38 Superb pass from Farkas to Kirsner. 26-20.

54:50 Bohus can't stop Rolland. 7m throw, and 2-minute suspension. 26-21. MISTAKE.

55:14 Görbicz attempts a risky pass to Bohus which is intercepted. MISTAKE.

55:26 Palinger saves huge chance from Tervel, but then makes a hopeless long pass. Foolish with a Hungarian player suspended. Korfanty scores on fast break. 26-22. MISTAKE.

56:02 Görbicz loses the ball after another bad pass. Korfanty fast breaks again. 26-23. MISTAKE.

56:23 Mocsai time-out. Good move. But maybe it's time to take out Görbicz?

56:32 Lovasz hits the post, but she was alone with the goalkeeper and needed to shoot. Rolland scores on fast break. 26-24.

57:07 Görbicz breaks through and scores. Risky move, but it paid off. 27-24. Cano throws away ball in next attack and Görbicz raises her arms in excitement.

57:43 Farkas tries a one-two with Kirsner after only ten seconds of the attack, but her pass is bad and risky. Rolland fast break: 27-25. MISTAKE.

58:21 Good, safe Hungarian attack. Delerce makes a tackle that should have given her a 2-minute suspension. Görbicz finds Kulcsar with brilliant pass. 28-25. Less than two minutes to go - is it even possible to lose?

58:41 Lovasz moves to block Lejeune, but Delerce is totally free on the wing. No one in particular to blame. Collective MISTAKE. 28-26.

59:17 Görbicz hits the net. But she takes four steps in her breakthrough which is perhaps prompted by a raised arm from the referee for passive play. Correct referee decision, she did take four. Kirsner was totally free on left wing. MISTAKE.

59:27 Farkas hesitates to stop Rolland, and she has space to find a free Cano who scores easily. Horrible defending. MISTAKE. 28-27.

59:43 Good move by Farkas. Gets a free throw. 13 seconds left.

59:51 Görbicz makes a terrible dribble right in front of a French player. Instead of passing it back to Farkas who could then play to Kirsner. MISTAKE.

59:55 Bad French pass in the fast break. Lovasz tries to catch it instead of punching it away toward the sideline. MISTAKE.

59:58 Pecqueux-Rolland is allowed to break through without any one tackling her properly. Görbicz tries a last desperate attempt. But gets a red card and the French earn an even bigger chance: a 7m throw. 28-28. MISTAKE.

So where did it go wrong? Plenty of mistakes from both Görbicz and Farkas. Görbicz made the worst. Ferling's red card was terrible as well as the replacement Farkas looked insecure. The marking of Radulovics also had an effect. She had been the trump card for the first 52 minutes, but disappeared in the end. Bohus earned a bad suspension and had trouble in defense with Rolland. Even Palinger made a bad move.

Fantastic effort by France. But you can't help thinking that Hungary handed them victory on a silver plate.

# posted 18:14 |

Personal All Star Team

What is to be done when you are not completely happy about the official All Star team? Make your own, of course. This is my attempt, and there is no politics involved:

Goalkeeper: Katalin Palinger (HUN)
Left wing: Tanja Oder (SLO)
Left back: Olena Tsygitsa (UKR)
Centre back: Seong-Ok Oh (KOR)
Right back: Bojana Radulovics (HUN)
Right wing: Zsuzsanna Lovasz (HUN)
Pivot: Anita Kulcsar (HUN)

Keeper: Palinger impressed not only by a high save percentage (42), but also with the quality of her saves. She was superb in one-to-one situations throughout the tournament and had a demoralizing effect on the opponent. No other keeper came close to her in that regard. She gets a deduction for the semifinal with South Korea when Sirina outshined her. Despite a lower save percentage than her compratiot Dudziak, Nicolas also played a strong tournament - particulary 7m throws were her speciality.

She played a significant role in the French victories over Russia and Ukraine, but she was pretty much lost against Hungary. It wasn't her effort that put France back in contention, but when France gained the upper hand in extra time she did perform well. The Norwegians Tjugum and Leganger were strong as well, but they also have a solid 6-0 defense ahead of them. Which makes their working conditions easier. Additionally, Norway faced relatively weak opposition in the preliminary group. This helps the save percentages. The Romanian duo of Barbu and Dinu also deserve praise. But in the end, Palinger gets the nod. She did everything to win the title for Hungary. It wasn't her fault that things went awry.

Left wing: Only one left wing really stood out among the four semifinalists: Oxana Raykhel. Gong-Joo Lee wasn't bad either, but not anywere near the All Star team. But if we compare Raykhel with Tanja Oder who didn't get as long a stay in Croatia, the Slovenian come out on top. She is a more versatile player and her finishing was better. This was a good pick by those responsible for the official All Star team. Journalists in Zagreb perhaps? Other respectable left wing performances were shown by Maja Savic from SCG and Nicoleta Dobrin from Romania.

Left back: Olena Tsygitsa is another easy choice. She is the main reason behind the Ukranian fourth place. Dangerous from the outside, but also with good breakthroughs. Despite some ups and downs, Bojana Petrovic also played a good tournament. But what happened against Austria? Susanna Fraile showed up and made international impact for Spain. Another left back we will hear more from in the future. Ferling should also be complimented as one of the most effective attacking players in the tournament - besides being an important defensive figure. Elodie Mambo also showed good shotmaking for Ivory Coast while they were still in the tournament.

Centre back: I have previously expressed my admiration for Seong-Ok Oh (picture). The bronze final earns her the spot with her fast and complete attacking style - great shots, great speed, great passes.

Oh has passed Lim as the best Korean player. Anita Görbicz is the runner-up. Another technical wizard, but at only 20 years of age her inexperience perhaps proved costly for Hungary. Then again - her skill gave them plenty of goals. The great prodigy of international handball, but also an enigma at times.

Right back: Bojana Radulovics is perhaps the safest pick of all. The most dangerous player of the tournament. If she doesn't reach the net from the outside, she is both capable of breaking through or finding a teammate. Grit Jurack should be ranked second on this position. If you can get a hand on a copy, watch the match between Norway and Germany to see why. That was close to the highest level I've ever seen a woman handball player reach in terms of technical and tactical play. She was outstanding, but unfortunately for her Germany kept lacking a few goals in the deciding matches. Steluta Luca should also be mentioned, although she tends to be a bit too one-sided in her game. Haarsaker fulfilled some of the expectations for Norway, but there is still a long way to go.

Right wing: This is actually quite easy. Zsuszanna Lovasz Pavlikne was the best right wing of the tournament. In fact, she was the best wing period. Sun-Hee Woo also did well, but she missed too much in the semifinal on Sirina. She wasted a chance on 8 fast breaks in total. Lovasz scored on all 10 of her counter-attacks during the tournament and was more efficient from the wing position. Plus she was more versatile as she took part in transitional plays. Good defending as well. Estelle Vogein didn't play too much, but was a great asset for France when she did. Yatsenko's name also ought to surface in this context, but only barely.

Pivot: The top 5 pivots were Kulcsar, Gomez, Blacha, Doler, Hilmo. In that order. Wendling might not scrape into the top 10. She was much too weak in attack - with bad finishing and failing to catch the ball when she should have. Kulcsar was one of the main offensive weapons of Hungary and proved almost impossible to stop. 37 goals on 42 shots speak their own language, plus 19 penalties earned. Of course, you can hold it against her that Bohus replaced her in defense. Good ol' Gomez again showed her class for Spain, while Blacha was extremely efficient for Germany. Doler lived up to her usual level - and that is very high indeed. While Hilmo was valuable in both attack and defense. This is close between Kulcsar and Gomez, but the Hungarian should get it.

# posted 16:10 |

Official All Star Team: Nicolas Rules

Goalkeeper: Valerie Nicolas (FRA)
Left wing: Tanja Oder (SLO)
Left back: Olena Tsygitsa (UKR)
Centre back: Anita Görbicz (HUN)
Right back: Bojana Radulovics (HUN)
Right wing: Sun-Hee Woo (KOR)
Pivot: Isabelle Wendling (FRA)

Most valuable player: Valerie Nicolas (FRA)
Fair play trophy: Korea (team), Estelle Vogein (player, FRA)

# posted 15:33 |

Sypkus With Most Blocks

Austria's Rima Sypkus heads the stat for most blocks in the tournament. The native Lithuanian and old friend of Ausra Fridrikas recorded 17 in 7 matches. Norway's Elisabeth Hilmo showed her worth in both attack and defense. Maryna Verhelyuk of Ukraine leads the way when it comes to steals. She stole 23 balls.

1 SYPKUS Rima AUT 17
2 HILMO Elisabeth NOR 16
3 BRADEANU Aurelia ROM 16
4 OFENBÖCK Stephanie AUT 13
4 FRAILE CELAYA Susanna ESP 13
4 LARSEN Tonje NOR 13
4 ROMENSKAYA Oxana RUS 13

# posted 15:27 |

Oh, That's a Lot of Assists

Korean Seong-Ok Oh, who came out of retirement after winning Olympic silver in 1996, showed an outstanding level. Her 62 assists serve to confirm that. If it's any consolation after the disaster in Zagreb, Anita Görbicz can be proud of her over-all performance in the tournament. Her cooperation with Anita Kulcsar was exquisite.

The same can be said of the team work between Derepasko and Doler in the Slovenian squad. Young chinese Shasha Wang is another one to watch, while Radulovics again ranks near the top. In the combined statistic of goals and assists Radulovics takes first place with a stunning 13.7 average pr. match.

1 OH Seong-Ok KOR 62 (Match average: 6.9)
2 GÖRBICZ Anita HUN 59 (5.9)
3 DEREPASKO Nataliya SLO 52 (6.5)
4 GOGBE Marie Ange CIV 24 (6.0)
5 WANG Shasha CHN 24 (4.8)
6 ZHAI Chao CHN 23 (4.6)
7 RADULOVICS Bojana HUN 40 (4.0)
8 ILIC Silvana SLO 33 (4.1)
9 PETROVIC Bojana SCG 28 (3.5)
10 KAREEVA Anna RUS 27 (4.5)

# posted 15:18 |

Radulovics Close to 100

The gold medal eluded her at Sydney 2000, and the World Championship fell out of her lap, but once again Bojana Radulovics can at least comfort herself with supreme top scoring status in Croatia 2003. A full 31 goals ahead of Olena Tsygitsa who also played a fantastic tournament.

Top 10

1 RADULOVICS Bojana HUN 97 (40/47)
2 TSYGITSA Olena UKR 66 (20/25)
3 PETROVIC Bojana SCG 58 (13/19)
4 FRAILE CELAYA Susanna ESP 50
5 LOVASZ Zsuzsanna HUN 48
6 PUCHE DIAZ Montserrat ESP 47 (25/29)
7 JURACK Grit GER 46 (5/9)
8 WOO Sun-Hee KOR 45
9 FRIDRIKAS Ausra AUT 45 (10/15)
10 MAMBO N.C. Elodie CIV 43 (10/11)

Top 5 (excluding 7-metres)

1 RADULOVICS Bojana HUN 57
2 FRAILE CELAYA Susanna ESP 50
3 LOVASZ Zsuzsanna HUN 48
4 TSYGITSA Olena UKR 46
5 PETROVIC Bojana SCG 45

# posted 15:08 |

December 14, 2003

France World Champions

After the most dramatic final in handball history, France won the 16th World Championship in Croatia with a 32-29 extra time victory over Hungary.

In the ordinary match, France came back from a seemingly hopeless 7-goal deficit within the last 7 minutes to tie the nerve-wracking encounter at 28-28 with a penalty throw from Leila Lejeune. In extra time, Hungarian suspensions and red cards doomed the favourites as Le Bleu won the last 10 minutes with a comfortable 4-1 to steal the gold medals.

With the "Dom Sportova" arena jam-packed with over eight thousand Hungarian supporters and draped in red, white and green, the team of Lajos Mocsai quickly went behind 3-1.

That rapidly turned around as Radulovics began to convert from the outside, while the French attack was continually stopped by a formidable Katalin Palinger in the Hungarian goal.

At 25 minutes, the Hungarians had already build up a massive 11-5 advantage. However, two goals from Vogein and one from Lejeune gave the French renewed hope as they made it to half time only 3 goals behind.

That hope seemed to have vanished when wing star Lovasz made it 19-13 for Hungary at 42 minutes. The French tried to mount a comeback, but Nicolas struggled to contain Radulovics. And when Görbicz broke through to make it 25-18 with little over 7 minutes to go, the gold dreams of Olivier Krumbholz' team looked to be in shambles.

Two quick goals didn't seem to help as Agnes Farkas served a beautiful lay-up to Erika Kirsner who smacked the ball past Nicolas to 26-20 - with just 5 and a half minute remaining of the final. No wonder the Hungarian bench was ecstatic.

But the French are renowned for their late charges, and kept fighting this time as well. Hungary lost their calm and started attracting unnecessary suspensions. And as Radulovics was marked out in offense, tons of technical errors crept in - with Farkas and Görbicz the prime culprits.

The French gained easy fast breaks as a result and soon cut the lead down to just two - 26-24. In this crucial phase, Görbicz picked up her game and helped Hungary to two goals, one scored by herself and the other an assist to Kulcsar.

With 28-25 and just 90 seconds to go, the title again appeared to be in Hungary's possession. But the impossible happened when Görbicz dribbled right in front of Pecqueuex-Rolland and lost the ball with less than ten seconds to go. To stop the French fast break she committed a horrible fault that rightly earned her a red card.

Leila Lejeune used the resulting penalty to level the match and give France a sensational extra time. With two players less and completely demoralized Hungary could only look on as France took full advantage and grabbed the World Championship.

In the most incredibly exciting handball final in modern times, leaving the the Hungarians in despair and French in ecstatic joy and confusement.

# posted 21:50 |

Bronze Belongs to Korea

The Koreans deserve a great round of applause for an excellent World Championship that resulted in a bronze medal after a 31-29 (18-15) win over the Ukraine.

No one expected much from them ahead of the tournament. But with superb veterans like Oh and Lim back in the squad they proved from the very start that they are still a team deserving of respect. We can surely expect even more from them at the Olympic Games in Athens. Jeong-Ho Hong could even return as well to enhance their options on right back significantly.

The highlights of the tournament was the first match with the Russian which must have shocked many people. They lost in the end, but only barely. In the main round, they took the scalp of the French finalists before falling to another great offensive side, the Serbs. They reached the semifinal with victory over the solid Spaniards.

The semifinal was perhaps the most memorable moment of the tournament - except for the blackout in Norway-Hungary. When you score 38 goals, you would normally expect to win. But not this time.

# posted 18:53 |

December 13, 2003

Cano Puts France Through

Two late goals from Stephanie Cano gave France a 28-26 victory in extra time over Ukraine to book them a place in Sunday's final with Hungary.

Despite the close decision, the evening match in Zagreb was somewhat of an anti-climax after the goal-mania a few hours earlier. Except for the always erratic Leonid Ratner on the sideline, the atmosphere was not particularly combative.

With too much responsibility resting on the shoulders of Leile Lejeune, France had the usual difficulty getting into the match in the first half. But their strong defense prevented the Ukranians from slipping away.

Ukranian star Olena Tsygitsa looked besides herself at several crucial stages of the match, and it was not surprising that a technical fault from her hand would initiate the deciding French fast break in extra time.

Valerie Nicolas emphasized her worth with several staggering saves when it mattered most.

# posted 21:26 |

Hungarians Make the Final

In a goal-saturated spectacle, Hungary gained revenge for the famous 1995 World Championship final by defeating South Korea 40-38 (22-19) in Zagreb. The squad of Lajos Mocsai moves into the final with the chance of winning Hungary's first world title since 1965.

The clash between the two strongest attacking sides of the tournament was an exhibition in high-tempo handball as both defenses were penetrated almost at will.

The tide turned in favour of Hungary when veteran Györ keeper Irina Sirina replaced Palinger to put a damper on the Korean banzai attacks. She held numerous shots from the wings, and eventually the Magyars worked up a small, but consistent lead.

The magical shotmaking of playmaker Seong-Ok Oh was not to be denied, though, and the Koreans never gave up the quest for a place in the final. After trailing for most of the second half, the Asians took advantage of technical mistakes and Hungarian suspensions to tie the match at 36-36 with 5 minutes to go.

But their hopes soon vaporized as the strongly backed Hungarians again drew ahead to secure victory. Erika Kirsner had the last say as she hit the 78th goal of this extraordinary match with two seconds to go.

# posted 18:01 |

Felicitaciones!

Spain qualified for the Olympic Games in Athens as the 10th and final team with a surprising 27-26 victory against Norway. Another huge success for the rapidly progressing Spaniards, and a devastating blow to the Norwegian national team and coach Marit Breivik.

The ten Olympians:

Greece (host nation)
Angola (Africa)
Brazil (South America)
China (Asia)
Denmark (Europe)
France (WCh 1-4 )
Ukraine (WCh 1-4)
Hungary (WCh 1-4)
South Korea (WCh 1-4)
Spain (WCh 5th)

# posted 15:00 |

December 12, 2003

Historic Semifinalists

2003
France - Ukraine
Korea - Hungary

2001
Russia - Denmark
Norway - Yugoslavia

1999
France - Romania
Norway - Austria

1997
Denmark - Russia
Norway - Germany

1995
Korea - Denmark
Hungary - Norway

1993
No playoff system

# posted 11:20 |

Hungary Stroll Through

It didn't take long for the Hungarians to break the resistance of a weakened Ukranian squad. When Kirsner made it 10-3, it was obvious that the Hungarians wouldn't throw away this potentially golden opportunity due to nerves.

Leonid Ratner had spared Tsygitsa and Raykhel for the match, while Verhelyuk only came on in stints. This revealed the lack of depth on the Ukranian bench as the replacements struggled to do any damage whatsoever. Except on the Hungarian players. Chernova saw a red card after earning her third suspension. After 17 minutes of play!

Bojana Radulovics (8/2) had a weak showing against Norway, but she bounced back with much more precision last night. Leaving no doubt that she will be crowned tournament top scorer unless Tsygitsa goes on a rampage of epic proportions.

This time hitting 7 goals on 8 shots from right wing, Zsuzsanna Lovasz Pavlikne was as deadly as she has been throughout the tournament. Anita Kulcsar was just as effective and will also be a crucial player for Hungary in the weekend.

Their only question mark now seems to be - of all people - Lajos Mocsai. Their coach has suddenly become ill, and was in bed with a high fever. South Korea is the most difficult opponent to counter from a tactical point of view, so they desperately need his expertise to come up with strategies against their offensive defense and fast attacking combinations.

# posted 11:13 |

Norway Like It Close

Russia were not the only pre-tournament favourites to see their gold hopes evaporate last night. As Hungary mauled the Ukranian B-side, the Norwegians could watch on in despair. But at least with some consolation.

Their victory over Slovenia had handed them a playoff with Spain for Olympic tickets. But it took their fourth thriller of the tournament to get there. Berit Hynne had been ridiculed in the press for her dismal showing against Hungary.

But Breivik continued to place her trust in the 24-year-old left wing, and she responded with the best performance of her career. Scoring 9 goals, including the decider to 29-28, on 11 shots was a powerful message.

But it couldn't change the fact that Norway would fail to make the semifinal of a World Championship after making it that far the last four times in a row. In 1993, when the playoff system had not yet been introduced, they finished third. The loss to Ukraine on opening night had come back to haunt them.

# posted 11:04 |

Huge Blow for the Russians

It was a match of two strong defenses. And - one could add - weak attacks. It took ten minutes for France to score their first goal when Raphaelle Tervel converted.

The audience in Zagreb only witnessed 15 goals in the entire first half. The Russians acquired a 10-7 lead early in the second half, but France took over the initative as Valerie Nicolas outshined her Russian counterpart Inna Suslina in goal.

Leila Lejeune looked to have scored the deciding goal to 20-18 before Muravyeva responded for the dethroned Russians. Nicolas had to come up with another great save to secure French victory - and make the Russian failure a reality.

The attacking problems of the Russians are highlighted by the fact that none of the players scored more than 2 goals in regular play!

# posted 10:55 |

A Dark Day for the Serbs

They had a World Championship title to play for. They could qualify for Athens. They had beaten Russia and South Korea in succesion. They were up against an already ousted Austria team which had lost all its important matches. On top of that, Logvin was out with her facial injury, and Fridrikas was resting on the bench.

Yet, despite all of this, Serbia and Montenegro were completely destroyed 38-27 (22-14). They had already shown enormous weaknesses in the preliminary round - the match against Brazil especially comes to mind. But allowing 22 goals in the first half alone is quite an achievement.

Looking at the stats might reveal something. And it sure does. The Serbs tried their luck on 37 shots from in and around the 9m line. Just 8 went in. Petrovic, Batinic, and Knezevic were responsible for the majority of misses. This reeks of an unimaginative game plan.

Austrian back Stephanie Ofenböck (10) showed a different kind of tactic. Instead of constantly shooting from the outside, she used her foot speed to go for breakthroughs. She managed 7 and scored on 6 of them. Astonishing.

But perhaps this is what happens when there is no longer anything to play for. The nerves disappear and you focus on the handball. The Serbs must certainly have been somewhere else in their minds. And as a reward they finish 5th in group I.

# posted 10:44 |

Breivik Didn't Know

Norway's coach made some confusing statements when she was interviewed by Danish television after the match against Hungary. She seemingly was unaware of the rules of the tournament and spoke about how Norway's goals score compared to Hungary's.

Goal difference would have been important if only Norway and Hungary were tied at 7 points. But with Ukraine in the picture as well, Norway would be in trouble. A fact that Breivik apparently was oblivious to. Perhaps this explains the ecstatic jubilations of the Norwegian players after the draw. Sure, it was an important goal from Lunde, but they did need one more.

# posted 10:17 |

December 11, 2003

38-27 for Austria!

Serbia will never know what hit them.

Hungary are running over a Ukranian side without Tsygitsa.

This looks certain now:

Semifinals:
France vs. Ukraine
Hungary vs. South Korea

5th place playoff:
Spain vs. Norway

# posted 21:36 |

Serbia Collapse, Korea Through

Just a brief update to congratulate Korea on the semifinal spot. The unpredictable Serbs are completely collapsing against Austria, they are currently down 32-21. Who saw this coming?

Spain will celebrate this result as well - they will play either Norway or Hungary for Athen tickets.

# posted 21:10 |

France Knock Champions Out

The defending Russian world champions will not be able to defend their crown. They fell 20-19 to France who instead make it to semifinals as the winners of group 1.

The French victory also means that South Korea will need to count on Austria taking one or more points from Serbia to maintain their hopes. If Serbia win, Korea will finish in third place with a shot at Olympic qualification.

And, yes, you can forget all about the confusing numbers below. It was a fun juggle nonetheless.

# posted 19:32 |

Korea Won: Time To Read the Rule Book

South Korea stayed in contention for a semifinal berth and Olympic qualification with a 32-29 (15-13) victory over Spain in Zagreb.

7 goals from Gomez, Puche Diaz, and Frail were not enough to put the Spaniards through. Sang-Eun Lee landed 11 goals for Korea. Spain now need help from Austria to remain in the running for the Olympics.

The result is exactly what the Serbs could be hoping for. But if the Russians defeat Spain, it's time to read the IHF regulations.

2.2.4.3. If two or more teams have gained the same number of points after the group matches have been completed, placing is decided as follows:
results in points between the teams concerned;
goal differences in the matches between the teams concerned;
greater number of plus goals in the matches between the teams concerned.

2.2.4.4. If the teams are still equal, a decision is made between those teams with an equal number of points as follows:
goal difference is subtracted in all matches;
greater number of plus goals in all matches.

Let's assume France, Korea, and SCG all end up with 6 points.

Points in direct comparison:
France: 2p
Korea: 2p
Serbia: 2p

Goal difference:
France: 0
Korea: 0
Serbia: 0

Goals scored:
France: 52
Korea: 60
SCG: 60

Then it says, 'if the teams are still equal'. Well, now it's certain that France lose out. But we still have two equal teams. Do we then start from scratch or move on? If we move back, Serbia go through. If we continue - which is my understanding - goal difference from all matches are discerned.

Korea finish at: +7 (158 goals)
Before Austria, SCG are at: -2 (118).

Conclusion: Serbia will need to beat Austria with 10 goals - unless they win by 41, then 9 will do. Hoping for France is more realistic. While Korea will cheer on Russia.

(SCG-Korea 35-33, FRA-SCG 27-25, KOR-FRA 27-25)

# posted 18:34 |

Ikast: Johansson Confirmed

Ikast/Bording has confirmed the hiring of Swedish coach Magnus Johansson who spent the last seven years with Redbergslid. He will be sworn in next season when Dalmose moves on to Aalborg DH.

# posted 17:09 |

Modest Reception in Copenhagen

The losing Denmark squad arrived in Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) on Wednesday. B.T. sarcastically remarks that it wasn't very crowded - they've got the picture to prove it. And that the only Danish flags in the airport was for some long lost family member returning home.

"The atmosphere is not quite what we have been used to from previously. But our performance doesn't justify it," says captain Broedsgaard.

In related news, Tonje Kjaergaard has said that she will consider a return to the national team. But she will not reveal her decision before having talked to Pytlick.

Another name to surface is SK Aarhus' bomber Maja Grönbaek, who Ulrik Wilbek has once dubbed the best Danish left back in the league. She gave up her national career after Sydney 2000 because she was frustrated with the little court time she received in Australia. But now she is thinking about making herself available for Athens. If Pytlick wants her.

He has made it no secret that she is no favourite of his. Perhaps because she's not the fastest kid on the block - but she does posses a major-league hammer on her right hand.

Speaking of a Dutch player in Denmark, who has also had some difficulties with her coach on national level, Ana Razdorov has given birth to a son. She expects to return to the league for Kolding IF next season. Congratulations!

# posted 16:23 |