Norway ran with the gold

Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning

Spectators: 12147

Final:

Netherlands –  Norway 23 – 13(9 – 20)

Goals:

Netherlands: Wester, Van Der Wal-Kramer, Van Der Heijden, Bont 1, Abbingh, Van Olphen 3, Snelder 5, Knippenborg, Broch, Groot 3, Dulfer, Goos 1, Smeets 2, Malestein, Hoekstra, Polman 8

Norway: Grimsbö, Solberg –  Molid, Kristiansen 2, Alstad 4, Löke 6, Skogrand 3,  Mörk 1, Oftedal 3, Si.Solberg, Sulland 1, Wibe 1, Riegelhuth, Kurtvic 2, Herrem 7, Tomac 1

The big final of the World Championship between one of the favourites Norway and a surprise team Netherland, if we are looking to the previous odds.

Norway has young team, but with a huge amount of experience as well, they played many important matches as semifinals and finals in big tournaments, and they know how to decide them.

Netherlands has a fantastic fluent in offensive play, the best goalkeeper performance of the World Championship, the enthusiasm which came with a historic achievment and lot of energy.

 

Before the match

Thorir Hergeirsson, headcoach of Norway:

” We will prepare against Netherlands carefully, we have to stop their fluency in attack. We met them before the championship in a preparation game, then scored around thirty goals against us, it must be reduced substantially. We have the experience of such matches on our side, but it will be a tough match which can quick advance into extratimes.”

Nycke Groot, playmaker of Netherlands:

” We realized a something huge, but we are not finished yet. If we reached this final, which we have worked so much for we would like to go all the way. We know that Norway is a fantastic team, but so we are.”

The match

Norway took Netherland like a storm and ran over Dutch team in a killing manner. Goalkeeper saves by Grimsbø, fabstbreak goals by Herrem, Kurtovic or Løke made that Netherlands had no answer and they just struggled.

Seemed like the Hank Groeners team have emotions about playing a final, meanwhile Norway ran with the victory, since half time result was 9-20.

In the second part Netherlands shook off the emotions and started to play handball, surprising Norway somehow, but this was enough only to come closer.

Holland pushed back and  scored 12 goals, receiving only eight in 23 minutes, but still the gap was to huge to be able to put a higher pressure to Hergeirsson’s team. Estevana Polman was the big player of this period  with six goals.

Norway just continued to run and play the handball they do best, so the outcome was not a surprise.

Remarkable performances at Norwegian team by Camilla Herrem-7 goals and Kari Aalvik Grimsbø 51% saves in the goal.

Final result: 23-31