Slovenia has a silver medal from the European Championship in 2004, when it was the host, our Veselin Vujović won the world bronze seven years ago, but the "dragons" flew away to history at the Olympic Games this summer...
The boys of the phenomenal expert Uroš Zorman are in the semi-finals of the Games in Paris after holding Norway's handball lesson for 60 minutes - 33:28.
It was expected that the duel in Lille would bring a tough and uncertain match, as were the previous three quarter-finals, but that everything would not go in that direction was clearer after 13 minutes when Aleks Vlah and Dean Bombač (two goals) gave Slovenia 6: 6 led to 9:6...
Since then, Zorman's boys did not let go of the lead, they did not "lose their heads" even when Gabrijel Ask Stereblom reduced the score to 12:25 with 23 and a half minutes left, and they reached the decisive plus five (30:20) five minutes before the end when Borut Mačkovšek scored on an empty net.
All are Slovenia's heroes - from the great goal scorers Vlaho (11) and Blaž Janac (nine goals) who together shook the net of Torbjern Bergerud 20 times to goalkeeper Klemen Ferlin (nine saves) - but this match was decided by the tactical skill of Uroš Zorman, who was calm and smart even when he was left without the excluded Bombač.
With Norway, which did not skip the quarterfinals this time either, Aleksander Blonca was better than the others with seven goals.
In the semi-finals, Slovenia probably has the most difficult task - against the powerful Denmark, which earlier today, on the wings of the eternal master Mikel Hansen, eliminated their neighbors from Sweden (32:31).
Still, the "dragons" have nothing to lose, but they also showed that they have the class and character to do great things.
The second semi-final is made up of Germany and Spain, which among the four best selections made it through memorable dramas.
Quarterfinals
Spain - Egypt 29:28
Germany - France 35:34
Denmark - Sweden 32:31
Norway - Slovenia 28:33
Semi-final
Spain - Germany
Denmark - Slovenia
Bonus video:
