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When the stars of the Norwegian team attended the international press meeting before Sunday’s European Championship final against France, the World Cup final in 2017 became a topic.
Norway reached the final at that time as a big favorite three years ago, but lost 21-23. Much of the key for France was slowing down and taking Stine Bredal Oftedal out of the game.
After the final in 2017, it was a grumpy national team captain who told TV 2 that she felt she was a bit to blame for the loss after disappointing.
– Oftedal was empty. She and Norway had flown over all the teams somewhat violently, and she had been on her feet for a long time, but in the final she had no strength left. Then frustration gripped the Norwegian team, TV 2 handball expert Bent Svele reminds the player that before the final collapse he was named champion player.
Three years later, it seems that France will again worry about arresting Oftedal.
– The key is what we do against Stine, says France coach Olivier Krumbholz (62).
– We must be aware of her. We have to be even better in defense than usual, says former Paris teammate Kalidiatou Niakaté (25).
Various countermeasures
National team manager Thorir Hergeirsson believes Norway is better prepared now.
– If Stine doubles as he did in France, we think we have experience, we have learned lessons and we have players who can take advantage of the space that comes. There was a lot of room at the edges in 2017, without us being able to take those positions. We will take advantage of that. If both players use it, there will be a reasonably good space for the others, Hergeirsson says.
TV 2 handball expert Bent Svele believes Norway has several setbacks.
– Oftedal is also used to receiving a lot of attention in his role in Györ. Norway also has steps, good dueling players in Henny Ella Reistad, Nora Mørk and Veronica Kristiansen. If France is also ahead of the game, Norway will have good line players. Heidi Løke, who did not play Denmark, runs well in the back quarters. Norway can also spread out around the edges and have guaranteed a week of revenge for Camilla Herrem. I’m sure France will not find it so easy to stop Oftedal now, says Svele.
KEY NORWAY: Stopping Norway captain Stine Bredal Oftedal stands out in the French camp as a major move in Sunday’s European Championship final in Herning. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN
To the question from TV 2 about which Oftedal feels better prepared for this final against the cheater Olivier Krumbholz and his girls, she happily replies:
– I hope so.
– I think that perhaps the most important thing is to prepare for a match with less flow than we want, that we have to get into shit a bit and be very clear that France wants to destroy our flow. I think we can keep calm, so that we can take him ashore, Oftedal says of the lessons from the 2017 World Cup final.
Hailed as the best in the world
The respect for Oftedal on the French handball field is enormous.
– I played with her in Paris for four years. He is very professional, has a good attitude on the court, never gives up and always gives everything. She can do anything. For me, it is obvious that she is the best player in the world, says Niakaté.
– Stine is in fantastic shape, runs and is fast. One by one, it’s the best in the world, says Krumbholz.
The captain of Norway takes the French proposals as a great compliment.
– Of course it’s very cute. I played all my years in Paris with Niakaté. We are good friends so he thought maybe he should say so. It’s incredibly cute, but I still hope they don’t completely stop me, says Oftedal, who also stood out in French at the press conference.
HYLLER OFTEDAL: Kalidiatou Niakaté believes that Stine Bredal Oftedal is the best handball player in the forest. On Sunday night they will meet in the final of the European Championship in Herning. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN
Predict new match image
Hergeirsson has previously spoken at the European Championships about how frustrating the World Cup final was in 2017 when France spent a lot of time every time they had the ball.
Hergeirsson thinks it will be a different battle scene from the finale this year.
– There are slightly different entries. Then we had beaten Russia in the quarter-finals and the Netherlands in the semi-finals, and everyone thought we were going to take France out of the field, which we knew was not going to be the case. France arrived well prepared and killed the game in rhythm, but I don’t believe in the same tomorrow. Now it is a healthier team and there is more rhythm in the team, he says.
TACTICS: The coach of the France team, Olivier Krumbholz. Photo: Ludvig Thunman / BILDBYRÅN
Bent Svele notes that France coach Olivier Krumbholz is tactically strong and believes the French team will adapt a bit when Norway is the opponent.
– I don’t think the rhythm will give up when they get a chance to run. They may have to take more care of the ball than they have done before in the championship, but many of the players also have speed in their blood, says the TV 2 handball expert.
Nora Mørk believes that it is important not to give the initiative to France.
– We are probably ready to meet tomorrow. We have to reduce the amount of technical errors, and then it would be nice if they could chase us, so we can control the pace. We fell into a trap the last time they led, you think.
