EHF EURO 2020
Herning, Jyske Bank Boxen
France – Norway 20 – 22 (10 – 14)
Referees: Berezkina, Alpaidze (RUS)
France: Leynaud, Darleux – Nocandy, Coatanea 1, Valentini, Zaadi 3(2), Kouyate, Niakate 3, Dembele Pavlovic 1, Sercien Ugoline 1, Flippes 3, Kanor, Edwige, Foppa 5, Nze Minko 1, Lacrabere 2 1)
Norway: Lunde, Solberg – Reistad 2, Hegh-Arntzen, Kristiansen 4, Frafjord, Løke, Skogrand 4(1), Mørk 4(1), Oftedal 3, Aune, Brattset Dale 1, Jakobsen, Herrem 3, Solberg-Isakssen 1, Breistøl
7 meters: 3/3; 4/2
Suspensions: 6 minutes; 6 minutes
2-0 opener for the French side, Foppa from line player position was very efficient in the starting minutes. Norway equalized when Kristiansen hits the goal twice, 2-2. France had 4-2 again, but Norway leveled again, 4-4 when Herrem scored twice from the leftwing. Zaadi collected two of 2-minute suspensions in the first 12 minutes, Mørk, Skogrand are dangerous in attack and Solberg saves the Norwegian goal with success. 4-7 lead for Norwegians, when Leynaud has also several saves for France, 6-7. Both teams have a good defense and force the opponent to make mistakes. Krumbholz takes timeout at 6-8, but after that Norway increased the lead 6-10 by Mørk and Herrem. Five-goals lead for the first time for Norway, 6-11, when Reistad scores. Mørk misses a 7-meter against Leynaud, but Norway still in four-goals lead 7-11. Even if France manages to score at the end of the first half by Foppa, Niakate, and Flippes, Norway goes to the pause with a four-goal lead, 10-14.
France starts the second half with four saves from Darleux, which means four misses for Norway from different positions. After 4 minutes Kristiansen opens the goal-scoring, 10-15, 11-16. Norway continues to fail against Darleux, with 71% saving performance and France closes the gap 14-16 by Flippes and Foppa. At the same time, Solberg does her job in the Norwegian goal, but France got the drive to get into the match. Lacrabere scores for 15-16 from 7 meters and there is excitement again in the final. Skogrand got her third goal from a penalty, 15-17 for Norway. Darleux continues to be outstanding for France, Norway scored only three goals in the second half, during 18 minutes. France levels the game by Zaadi from 7 meters, 17-17, and leads the second half 7-3. 17-18 from rightwing but France equalizes again, Niakate 18-18. Norway struggles in attack and if they are making their way to the goal, Darleux stopped everything. This is the point when Thorir Hergeirrson called his timeout and introduces Heidi Løke, but it did not give results and France took the lead 18-19. Nora Mørk equalizes from 9-meter, 19-19 and Solberg saves an important French ball. Reistad scores for the lead 19-20 and Solberg stops a new French attack. Zaadi went out with a red card for a failed change, but Nze Minko steals the ball and scores for a new draw, 20-20. Nora Mørk takes the decision into her own hands, 20-21, and the Norwegian defense stops up the French attack until it gets passive play. Two-goals lead for Norway when Sanna Solberg scores from the leftwing, 20-22, and France make mistakes again in the next attack. Darleux saves a new 7-meter from Mørk at the end but does not matter, because Norway is the winner and the European champion again after 2016.
Player of the match: Cleopatre Darleux (FRA)
RSS