Trondheim (VG) (Slovenia – Norway 21-34) Steyn Breedal Oftedal played her best game in the World Cup. The 32-year-old doesn’t think she’s ever played in a better Norwegian national team. Now France waits.
- Norway produced an impressive performance at the Women’s Handball World Cup, winning five matches with a total of 90 goals
- Stine Bredal Oftedal had his best World Cup game so far against Slovenia
- The victory over Slovenia by 13 goals took Norway to the quarter-finals
- The Norwegian players excelled in high tempo and interaction
- The next match against France on Sunday will be decisive for who will face Norway in the quarter-finals
-I feel like it’s my best match in the World Cup so far. It’s good to face the best team we’ve ever faced. It feels good, Bredal Oftedal tells VG.
Last year, Norway had to struggle to beat Slovenia in the European Group. On Friday, the foreign team from Eastern Europe was eliminated from the field with 13 goals.
– How good is this Norwegian team?
– It is, of course, difficult to say. But I have to say the breadth that we have now. Almost all of our team members play in the best clubs. I’ve never seen that extreme before. Time will tell if this means we are able to move forward. But this team has a breadth that I don’t know if we’ve ever seen before, says Oftedal, with two World Championship golds and five European Championship victories.
– And now France is coming on Sunday?
– We know that it is always difficult to face France. They probably came more quickly than us in the toilet. But I think we’re pretty much on the right track.
– Is it important to win it now that you are ready for the quarter-finals?
– She answers: Important, but not decisive.
Norway swept the floor of the hall with its World Cup opponents. Five matches were won with a total of 90 goals.
-I think we are a very good team. Everyone who comes out plays with their shoulders down. Everyone is able to do the same thing as in the club. “I don’t think anyone is afraid to perform,” says Camilla Heerem, who is playing in her 18th championship for Norway.
She scored six new goals against Slovenia and now has 33 World Cup goals. The Slovenian had no chance at all when Herrem turned on the turbo. Henny Reistad and Stine Bredal Oftedal also excelled quickly in the Ultra class.
– When Heaney and Stein play like this, there is no spirit to stop them, says the left winger and it belongs to Ingvild Bakkerud and Christine Bristol at the same time.
-We play very well as a team. All players get what they can, says Henie Rystad. She has contributed strongly to Norway’s last three titles.
– How good are you compared to what you went through in the past?
– It’s hard to compare, but we’re in a very good place now. “I think we’re in good shape,” Rystad said after scoring five goals on Friday.
Some believe that only injuries can stop Norway in the World Cup. Stine Bredal Oftedal suffers rough treatment on two occasions. The most recent was against Angola on Wednesday.
-I’ve had a few visits. My elbow went from being extremely painful to being fine quickly. Today, my hip was very stiff when I warmed up. But I forgot that when the adrenaline came, you describe the aftermath of dominating Slovenia.
-It’s very fun to play against this type of defence. I can lay down to evaluate and play a little bit with the linemen. It was a fun game to play.
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
