17 years. Or 6.202 days.
So a long time has passed since Denmark last beat Norway in a significant battle at a championship.
It was in the european championship final on home turf in 2002.
at the Time, was Mie Højlund just five years, while Mette Vestergaard, an international team manager, was one of the stars on the field.
Since Denmark lost to Norway each and every time there has been something at stake at the finals.
I know well, that the danes won a match at a mellemrunde in 2012, but the settlement keeps I got out of this equation, for the fight was completely without importance for Norway.
It is a complex, which is to get an eye on.
Yes, Klavs Bruun Jørgensen has not even tried to beat Norway’s A-team in one of the countless training matches, the two nations have played in the almost five years he has been in charge of the national team.
I’m not saying that it necessarily will be different in this place, where Norway once again take on the role as the clear favorites.
But I can actually see Denmark teasing the norwegians in Kumamoto. And it is really long ago, I have had a feeling that the national team had a chance against Norway in the finals.
What is so different this time?
Yes, first and foremost, the norwegians grotesque hit hard by injuries.
Nora Dark and Veronica Kristiansen, two of the world’s best håndboldspillere, is missing. The same does Katrine Lunde and Kari Grimsbø, which together usually constitute the world’s brightest målmandsduo. And additionally, there are several other talented players on the Norwegian skadesliste.
Even for Norway, which has an impressive width, it is a serious weakness, and it is also the explanation as to why I never really have believed in the scandinavian elder sister as the gold medal winner at this WORLD cup.
When we at the same time have in mind, to Denmark after the drama against France has been such a massive shot of confidence, that we can discuss whether it should be on dopinglisten, then it may be to offset the balance.
the Pressure in this fight is indisputably the greatest of the Norwegian women, who lost gruppefinalen against the Netherlands and therefore need to make a clean sweep in the three mellemrundekampe to be sure to get in a semi-final.
For make no mistake – even though the team is decimated, so tolerer the Norwegian håndboldfans nothing else than participation in the medaljekampene. It can hit the norwegians, when they are missing several of the star players, which usually tends to absorb the kind of pressure as easily as nothing?
Denmark, by contrast, can play relatively freely, even though the point, of course, is important in the hunt for a place in the OLYMPICS-qualification. But failure is no longer a theme, after we now have come with in the mellemrunden, and it must mean something to the voltage level of the players.
at the same time, Stine Jørgensen and Anne Mette Hansen come in time, and Sandra Toft is obviously not able to stand on anything other than absolute verdensklasseniveau.
Continuing the three to deliver, can the defense keep momentum, and hit Norway is not the best day – well, then, can Sunday. 8. december 2019 be the day, where the danes make up with 17 years of inferiority.
Søren Paca
Håndboldkommentator on BT Sport. Is also the author of the book ‘the golden age – 25 years of Danish håndboldhistorie’. I’ve covered the Danish and international handball since 2009. Born and raised in the midwest, but live in the day in Frederiksberg. According to my birth certificate I am 34 years old.
