2016 Rio Olympics | HANDBALL | August 6th thru 21st |

[Hadoop]

Had a chance to watch this sport live at the Pan Am Games last year (the gold medal match no less). Awesome sport; wish it was more popular in North America (Greenland aside - it's unofficially their national sport and they've consistently beaten Canada and the US in international competition).

 

[Uncle Rotter]

The Qatari national team is impressive

2 Montenegrans
2 Syrians
2 Bosnians
1 French
1 Egyptian
1 Spanish
1 Cuban

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/09/qatar-buying-handball-players-france-rio-2016

 

[BMann]

It is a farce. Instead of tightening regulations in sport about nationality they seem to constantly relax them to try and level the playing field.

It's great to see Qatar beaten. Great comeback from the Russian women to overturn at one stage a six point deficit against Sweden into a 36-34 win and without young Vyakhireva for an entire half as well.

 

[Ivan13]

It is a farce. Instead of tightening regulations in sport about nationality they seem to constantly relax them to try and level the playing field.

It's great to see Qatar beaten. Great comeback from the Russian women to overturn at one stage a six point deficit against Sweden into a 36-34 win and without young Vyakhireva for an entire half as well.

That's not the case here, they're doing this because they are raking in money from the Sheiks. IHF is in worse shape that UEFA and FIFA combined.

 

[Ben Matlock]

Phew! Egypt 27 - Brazil 27.

How 'bout them ties?

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Love this sport. Wish it was more popular. I got asked to play goalie for team manitoba u18 in high school but i was more hockey. Always wondering what would have happened if i had.

 

[Ben Matlock]

So, the brackets for the QF's:

Women
Brazil - Netherlands
Spain - France

Norway - Sweden
Russia - Angola

Men
Croatia - Poland
Denmark - Slovenia

Brazil - France
Germany - Qatar

I usually root for non- European teams just so more people would discover the sport. Not Qatar though, but hopefully they can compete with a home-grown team in the future.

 

[BMann]

That's not the case here, they're doing this because they are raking in money from the Sheiks. IHF is in worse shape that UEFA and FIFA combined.

Ivan this is the issue (the Gulf States see sport as a way of expressing themselves on the global stage. That and buying brand and real estate in Europe which some countries particularly France are only too willing to throw away). And handball is not the only sport. Rugby union is another prime offender.

I think England over recent years have fielded PI players that have played for NZ/Australia at both codes or one of the Pacific Islands then have become naturalized over here. It's barmy and the PI's have enough problems retaining their best youngsters as it is.

In the handball the Russian women have been impressive. Especially the two youngsters Dmitrieva and Vyakhireva. Hopefully the mens team can follow suit having not even made it to these Games. But now it's all or nothing.

 

[Ivan13]

Ivan this is the issue (the Gulf States see sport as a way of expressing themselves on the global stage. That and buying brand and real estate in Europe which some countries particularly France are only too willing to throw away). And handball is not the only sport. Rugby union is another prime offender.

I think England over recent years have fielded PI players that have played for NZ/Australia at both codes or one of the Pacific Islands then have become naturalized over here. It's barmy and the PI's have enough problems retaining their best youngsters as it is.

In the handball the Russian women have been impressive. Especially the two youngsters Dmitrieva and Vyakhireva. Hopefully the mens team can follow suit having not even made it to these Games. But now it's all or nothing.

Agreed on all counts. I can't stand it when England has Tuilangi on the team.

It's a shame Russian men fell off the map, same with Waterpolo.

We are playing Poland in a rematch of the most embarrassing game in Polish handball history, where they got trampled by us in Poland by an unheard margin. In general, I have a good feeling every time we play them, if we play up to our possibilities this will be a one-way street, they are slow, while we thrive on pushing the play (like we did in Poland) and having Å trlek and Čupić/Horvat eviscerate opponents on the fastbreak. Polish chance are their GKs, they need to have a great day and save 15+ shots if they want to win.

 

[BMann]

They'll be looking to overturn that quarter final exit at last years World Championship. Nine fingers Cupic sharp as ever.

Regarding the Russian teams. Lack of infrastructure still and loss of coaches also people moving abroad. Similar to what has happened in the Balkans. Large numbers of emigres and their children who are now competing for other countries at the top level.

Tennis. Zverev, Tomic for example and others like Tomljanovic who did the dirty (and worst thing I can think of discarding nationality for no reason at all) who hasn't after all amounted to much. It's sad really.

No wonder the Romans recruited heavily from around Pannonia and Ilyricum.

 

[polishjetsfan]

Agreed on all counts. I can't stand it when England has Tuilangi on the team.

It's a shame Russian men fell off the map, same with Waterpolo.

We are playing Poland in a rematch of the most embarrassing game in Polish handball history, where they got trampled by us in Poland by an unheard margin. In general, I have a good feeling every time we play them, if we play up to our possibilities this will be a one-way street, they are slow, while we thrive on pushing the play (like we did in Poland) and having Štrlek and Čupić/Horvat eviscerate opponents on the fastbreak. Polish chance are their GKs, they need to have a great day and save 15+ shots if they want to win.

Our core is getting older every year and there are no young guns to replace them. Szmal is a totally diferrent player than even a couple years ago - he's no longer a game changer. Our back is so weak that Jurkiewicz had to be called up in the middle of the tournament, even though he is barely fit. Michal Jurecki (IMO our best player) is hurt. Seriously, I respect this team as much as the next guy, but it would be HUGE upset if we beat you. I have much more hope in our volleyball team.

 

[Ivan13]

Our core is getting older every year and there are no young guns to replace them. Szmal is a totally diferrent player than even a couple years ago - he's no longer a game changer. Our back is so weak that Jurkiewicz had to be called up in the middle of the tournament, even though he is barely fit. Michal Jureck (IMO our best player)i is hurt. Seriously, I respect thisl team as much as the next guy, but it would be HUGE upset if we beat you. I have much more hope in our volleyball team.

Wyszomirski is a very good goalie, so is Szmal even though he's not what he once was. They both ca steal a game if they get hot, but aren't thought in the same light as Landin's and Omeyers' of the world, kind of like our tandem. If we manage to force you guys into a run and gun game you're toast, if you guys manage to slow down the game you have a chance. And I think Talant (who I respect more than any coach save for Vujo) has something up his sleeve.

 

[polishjetsfan]

Wyszomirski is a very good goalie, so is Szmal even though he's not what he once was. They both ca steal a game if they get hot, but aren't thought in the same light as Landin's and Omeyers' of the world, kind of like our tandem. If we manage to force you guys into a run and gun game you're toast, if you guys manage to slow down the game you have a chance. And I think Talant (who I respect more than any coach save for Vujo) has something up his sleeve.

It's one game... anything can happen Anyway, I think we're in for a cracker, the match should be thrilling. Too bad they're playing in the middle of the freakin' night

EDIT: I just checked, your basketball team is playing at 3:15 CET... you're pulling an all-nigther?

 

[Ivan13]

It's one game... anything can happen Anyway, I think we're in for a cracker, the match should be thrilling. Too bad they're playing in the middle of the freakin' night

EDIT: I just checked, your basketball team is playing at 3:15 CET... you're pulling an all-nigther?

Not likely since I'm dead tired as it is, and I need to be fresh for my job tomorrow.

 

[Ben Matlock]

Good lord! OT in the QF between France and Spain. Spain hits the post with three seconds remaining and lose by one.

 

[polishjetsfan]

Not likely since I'm dead tired as it is, and I need to be fresh for my job tomorrow.

Just FYI, both matches start tommorow night (Wednesday/Thursday)

 

[Ivan13]

Just FYI, both matches start tommorow night (Wednesday/Thursday)

See what shape I'm in, I've even lost track of time

 

[Kurtz]

A goalie question...why do they play so deep? A reaction save seems almost impossible in this sport, and you can easily read when a player is setting himself up for a shot, so why not just come out as far as possible and really cut down any semblance of an angle for the shooter?

Sure, you'd be leaving the net completely open if a pass is made, but since 90-95% of shots are goals anyway, it's certainly worth the gamble.

 

[Ivan13]

It's not worth the gamble and 90% of shots don't end up in the net. And goalies do come out.

 

[polishjetsfan]

Some beautiful handball being played in this Denmark-Slovenia match

 

[Kurtz]

It's not worth the gamble and 90% of shots don't end up in the net. And goalies do come out.

So is this Denmark-Slovenia game just a bit of an aberration? Because 90%+ of the shots taken end up in the net.

Goalies come out, but late and only about half way in the paint. I wonder how they'd do if they challenged the shooters right at the edge of the paint.

 

[Eisen]

So is this Denmark-Slovenia game just a bit of an aberration? Because 90%+ of the shots taken end up in the net.

Goalies come out, but late and only about half way in the paint. I wonder how they'd do if they challenged the shooters right at the edge of the paint.

The shooter will see that you are over committing and pass for an empty net goal. You pass the pall quicker than a goalie can run. In addition, if a goalie does that, he'll not survive twenty minutes in this game. 10 minutes worth of sprint, stop, change direction, without any noticeably timeouts is hard.

 

[Ivan13]

So is this Denmark-Slovenia game just a bit of an aberration? Because 90%+ of the shots taken end up in the net.

Goalies come out, but late and only about half way in the paint. I wonder how they'd do if they challenged the shooters right at the edge of the paint.

They'd get scored on every single time, and 90% of shots don't end up in the net.

 

[Kurtz]

They'd get scored on every single time, and 90% of shots don't end up in the net.

What's a typical save % for a goalie in handball? And why would cutting the angle more increase the goals? Being closer to the shooter would certainly make it harder for him to score...sure if they pass it's almost a sure goal, but it's not a high percentage pass when a player is already set up for a shot...

Perhaps it's been tried and was a failing tactic.

 

[polishjetsfan]

So it begins.