Hamburg (VG) (Norway – Portugal 32-37) Only careful theory can save Norway from being eliminated by the European Commission after another failure against Portugal. Star Sander Sagosen completely failed for the Norwegian crew.
- Norway lost 32-37 to Portugal in the European Group, and now there are few chances for Norway to qualify
- Sander Sagocin failed in the important match and was subjected to self-criticism afterward
- Coach Jonas Wille is receiving criticism for the lack of changes
- Anyway, Norway will play three more matches in the tournament and will meet: Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden
Sagosen believes Norway got what it deserved.
– Disappointed. It's simply boring. But we are not better, we have to admit that. “We deservedly lose and it's crazy,” Sander Sagosen tells VG.
Worst for Norway, measured against expectations, was Sander Sagosen. As a handball star, there were hopes that he would become the captain of the team's army.
Instead, the 28-year-old has failed almost completely. Sagosen spoiled the ball repeatedly in both halves.
– It's nonsense from Sander Sagosen. You can shoot it directly at the opponent! What's going on here now by our best man? I do not like this. Three technical fouls, commented TV 3's Daniel Hoglund before halftime.
Sagosen scored only one goal from two shots in the first half and one goal from three attempts when everything was going to be decided after changing sides.
-I want to perform and we want to perform as a team. But in January we were not good enough. I'm a long way from where I want to be, and we as a team are a long way away. “Then you lose handball matches,” Sagosen says.
After 21 minutes, Norway led 13-11. Then the crisis began in earnest with six goals for the Portuguese and the picture of the match changed completely. At the end of the first half, Norway was trailing 15-18. It was going to get worse.
Peter Overby was not generous in talking about the team shortly after the match ended.
– This is the bottom of what we gave during my time in the national team. At some point, you may have to be there too, and feel it, to get back to where we want and should be. “We have to sharpen our forces one way or another,” Overby tells VG.
Gøran Johannessen was upset and frustrated in an interview with VG after the match.
– I feel now that we tried to twist the brain along the way. We are running more than Slovenia, but nothing is working in our favor now. It is important to realize now that we are not better. It is also good to see such a high level in men's handball. “You'll get eaten if you get to 80 percent,” says Göran Johansen.
National team coach Jonas Wille still feels they are on the verge of that there.
-I feel a little sorry for the players now. They mobilize and build self-confidence for the fight. “We play a lot of good handball, but we miss a lot of chances,” says Jonas Wille on TV3.
TV3 expert Joachim Boldsen challenged Willie about self-confidence, but the national team coach replied that most of all they knew what was expected from the outside world and that commitment had become less. Then Willie admitted that it was more than self-confidence. It is believed that there is no conclusion as to what should have been done.
– Very disappointing, actually a bit scary, unrealistic and completely incomprehensible. EC boys handball briefly summarized here. not finished yet. But that's really the case, writes TV 2's Harald Bredeli on X/Twitter.
The weak Norwegian match caused a stir not only in the arena in Hamburg, but also among Danish handball experts.
The boys seem completely devoid of self-confidence. Suddenly they lack the abilities they had. There are many questions to ask. “We gave a terrible performance again,” Joachim Boldsen said on television shortly after the match ended.
“What worries me most is whether Jonas Wille will be able to wake them up,” expert Klaus Müller Jacobsen wrote on Danish TV Channel 2.
National team manager Jonas Wille was never able to “wake them up”. It received criticism earlier in the tournament and will only increase its power and scope. Phil said after the match that he regretted not making any changes.
Coach Jonas Wille gets a single on the VG Stock Exchange:
After a disappointing group stage, Norway reached the main round with zero points. Therefore, only a weak theory is capable of saving the team's chances of qualifying for the semi-finals after losing to Portugal.
The remaining matches in the intermediate round await the Netherlands (Friday), the world champion Denmark (Sunday), and the European champion Sweden (Tuesday).
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