Granollers (VG) Something happened to Nora Mork’s playing style (30) in the crucial World Cup match against the Netherlands.
– Yes, it was completely intentional. I really felt I should have contributed more in the Sweden match (30-30). I’m focusing a little bit on the fact that we have a very good left side and I’ve thrown the ball a lot in there,” Nora Mork told VG.
She and the rest of the Norwegian girls’ handball team arrived in Barcelona ahead of the World Cup quarter-final against the Russian Handball Federation on Wednesday evening. It is played at Granollers, not far north of the Spanish city.
The quarter-finals were secured after a very exciting match against the Netherlands on Monday. And in that match we saw a slightly different Nora Mork than before in the tournament.
In the official World Cup statistics, Mørk had scored 17 goals against after his first five matches. Against the Netherlands alone, she had 13 shots – and scored eight goals. Norway won the match 37-34.
She had already decided on Mork’s playing style.
– I thought I should now start scoring a bit and take on more responsibility to create a little more space for others. So I decided what I really needed was to learn how to do it right. I’m glad it was a better offensive game on my part, the 30-year-old told VG.
Here are Dark’s official shot stats so far in the World Cup:
- Against the Netherlands: 8 goals / 13 shots
- Against Sweden: 4 goals / 5 shots
- Against Puerto Rico: 1 goal / 1 shot
- Against Romania: 4 goals / 5 shots
- Against Iran: 3 goals / 4 shots
- Against Kazakhstan: 1 goal / 2 shots
Captain Stine Bredal Oftedal is pleased that his roommate decided to sign up more.
– I live with her and I’ve talked about her clearly before. Oftedal told VG she felt like she wasn’t paid enough until yesterday.
Is there a move that you will use in the future as well to improve your offensive game?
– Yes, of course. The more people who are able to get involved and contribute as much as they can, the better. There’s always a balancing act when it comes to streaming, but she’s good and knows how to do it anyway. The captain of the national team answers, so it is very important.
Henny Rystad, man of the match against the Netherlands, describes Mork’s move as “very decisive”.
– I think it did very well against the Netherlands. She’s played a great game and she’s good at playing passes to everyone on the field, she’s confident and it’s great to play with her when she’s in that mood, she says.
Did you notice that you had more space when you were focusing on goals than you did before?
– Absolutely. It gives more space to everyone when you can be dangerous on goal even at the same time that you are very good at dropping the ball. So it is so important.
Camilla Herm hopes we get to see more of the “a little selfish” Nora Mork against the Russians, too.
– We talked about it after we played against Sweden and then she said she should be tougher on goal. I saw clearly against Holland that they decided that. Importantly, we need someone who can make those breakthroughs. She’s always been a helpful queen, but it’s important that she herself be a little selfish, she says and laughs.
The quarter-final match against the “Russian Handball Federation” will take place on Wednesday at 5:30 pm, and will be broadcast on TV 3.
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