Norway and Montenegro to meet in handball final
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ByEurosport
Published 15/12/2012 at 21:25 GMT
Champions Norway and old rivals Montenegro won their women's European handball championship semi-finals in contrasting fashion in Belgrade on Saturday to set up a repeat of the 2012 Olympic final.
Montenegro's Milena Knezevic (C) celebrates after scoring against Serbia with teammates Ana Dokic (L) and Jovanka Radicevic during their women's European Handball Championship semi-final match at the Kombank Arena in Belgrade
Image credit: Reuters
The Norwegians, who won the gold medal in London and are the world champions, will bid for a record fifth successive European title after a 30-19 mauling of Hungary while Montenegro edged hosts Serbia 27-26 in Belgrade's Kombank Arena.
Left back Anja Edin led the Norwegians with six goals while wingers Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren and Camilla Herrem scored five each as the holders overcame an early 8-6 deficit.
Norway never looked back after a 10-2 run put them in the driving seat and their Icelandic coach Thorir Hergeirsson said taking nothing for granted against a crafty Hungarian team was crucial.
"We prepared well and had a lot of respect for Hungary, as they have some very skilful players and play much more as a team than before. So we were not afraid, but had respect," he told a news conference.
"We played our trademark tough defence and the fact that our goalkeeper Katrine Lunde Haraldsen was in brilliant form made it that much easier," he said.
Montenegro won a see-saw battle against Serbia thanks to a last-gasp save from goalkeeper Sonja Barjaktarovic, who made a brilliant save with 10 seconds left after the lead had changed hands several times.
The Montenegrins, roared on by their 4,000 supporters among the 12,000 crowd who created a rip-roaring atmosphere, appeared to be cruising when they carved out an 8-4 advantage midway through the first half.
Serbia came storming back to lead 14-11 before Montenegro's final onslaught, engineered by back court shooters Katarina Bulatovic and Milena Knezevic, turned the game their way in a frantic finale.
"It was a fantastic match and although we were the favourites, we knew that Serbia weren't going to roll over in front of their fans so we are not surprised that it went right down to the wire," Montenegrin pivot Ana Djokic said.
"I am confident we have it in us to turn the tables on Norway and earn a reversed outcome to the one in London, when they edged us to the gold medal," she said.
Serbia will play Hungary for the bronze medal in Sunday's opening match before the Norwegians and Montenegrins take centre stage in what promises to be another mouth-watering contest.
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