When the quarter-final pairings of the 26th World Cup were completed, it was estimated that Denmark had already gone through, the local media had already asked Jesper Jensen what about Norway in the semi-finals...
It turned out, however, that the easiest quarter-final turned out to be the most complicated, because Montenegro offered phenomenal resistance to the giant of world handball and if there were no "specialists" from Algeria in the referee's equipment, maybe they would have played against Norway on Friday.
Unfortunately, it was not possible against the hosts, referees and over 11 thousand fans, so the team will Bojana Popović in two days against the Netherlands (14.30:5 p.m.) to start the fight for placing from 8th to XNUMXth place. It's just a question of how to find a motive for it after all...
"Lionesses" struggled in defense at the beginning, Denmark took advantage of the first four attacks and took a 4:2 lead, but as time went on, the home team found holes more and more difficult, and Marina Rajcic was in a very good mood. Thanks to her, cracked Itani Grbić, indomitable Tatjana Brnović and wings, Montenegro took the lead for the first time in the 9th minute (5:4).
The Danes took advantage of Brnović's exclusion to turn the score to 8:7, a Jesper Jensen took a time-out in the 23rd minute with the score 9:9. After the break, his players played better in defense, the best handball player in the world in 2021 also defended herself. Sandra Toft, so it was quickly 12:9.
The home team also had two attacks for plus four, but Brnović broke the seven-minute fast, and then the girls in green jerseys naively went to the big break with minus three, instead of with the minimal difference - Jelena Despotović in the last attack kicked too early from 10 meters, a Katrine Heindal scored from the counter for 13:10.
It was noticeable that the judges would be in favor of the home team, they did not want to see Brnović getting "beaten", but the first real announcement of what was going to happen was in the 32nd minute.
Matea Pletikosic was pushed from behind and instead of the seven-pointer and exclusion, the arbitrators from Algeria Belhiri i Hamidi gave a yellow card to Bojana Popović. Soon, a seven-pointer and two minutes to go were correctly awarded Dijan Mugoš, so it is Anne-Meta Hansen increased to 15:10. Instead of losing 14:11 and having one more player, the "lionesses" had minus five and a numerical disadvantage.
Denmark increased the pace and in the 39th minute reached a record plus seven (20:13), and the same difference was 20 minutes before the end (21:14). It seemed that there was no way back, but the girls in green jerseys played unreal in defense and completely blunted the opponent's attack.
The advantage was melting fast, in order to Nina Bulatović with mastery from the counter eight and a half minutes before the end reduced it to 22:20.
The home team broke the fast, took a 24:20 lead, and the match was decided at the beginning of the 58th minute. Mugoša scored brilliantly from the counter for 25:23, and probably only Belhiri and Hamidi out of over 11.000 people in "Jiske bank boxen" did not see that she Trine Estergord-Jensen pushed roughly from behind when shooting.
And instead of exclusion for the Danish wing, to the assistance of the delegate Henrik Makinen from Sweden was sent to the bench Itana Grbić, and because of excessive joy?!
That was the end of the dream, because the IHF could not allow Denmark to experience a nightmare and lose to "little" Montenegro at the championship where they are looking for the first gold after 19 years.
Expectations were thus fulfilled - three domestic teams will fight for the gold, and France will try to spoil the party for them...
DENMARK - MONTENEGRO 26:24 (13:10)
Herning - "Jiske bank box". Viewers: 11.031. Referees: Belhiri and Hamidi (Algeria). Sevens: Denmark 7 (6), Montenegro 5 (3). Suspensions: Denmark 2, Montenegro 12 minutes.
Denmark: TOFT (14 saves and two sevens), Reinhart, S. Iversen 2, Elver 1, AM. HANSEN 5 (1), HEJNDAL 2, Haugsted, AU. Hansen 2 (2), Jergensen 3, ESTERGORD-JENSEN 2 (1), BURGORD 2, Petersen 1, HEJLUND 1, FRIS 5 (2), R. Iversen, Scallion.
Montenegro: RAJČIĆ (10 saves and seven goals), Babović (), PLETIKOSIĆ 1 (1), GODEČ 1, Mugoša 6 (2), Nad. Ćorović, Popović, Ivanović 1, Malović, Nat. Ćorović, BRNOVIĆ 3, BULATOVIĆ 3, Klikovac, DESPOTOVIĆ 3, PAVIĆEVIĆ 1, GRBIĆ 4.
FRIDAY
FOR PLACEMENT FROM 5TH TO 8TH PLACE
GERMANY - CZECH REPUBLIC 11.30
MONTENEGRO - NETHERLANDS 14.30
SEMI-FINALS
DENMARK - NORWAY 17.30
SWEDEN - FRANCE 20.30
Bonus video:
