Euro Handball Championship: America vs. Poland 31-28

Z is gonna sink the game-winner in the final seconds of the semifinals 🙏

mostly... Denmark's outside shooting is insane... from Hansen to that guy who looks like he's covered in paint... against them we gotta let the wings loose... that's our shot

Total snooze fest. ☕

That being said, our guys absolutely crushed it in the second half. They completely outplayed Poland.

I think it’s about time we throw a draw into the regular season mix☕

Matthew Taylor15 said:They’re going to sink a buzzer-beater in the semifinals to win the whole thing. 🙏

Generally speaking... their perimeter shooting is elite... from Hansen down to that guy with the dyed hair... against Denmark, we really need our wings to break open if we want a shot at this.

Sondergaard Sarup always plays his best against us. Honestly, he worries me more than Hansen does.

Philli said:We can take on Denmark! We might be the underdogs, but still...

... remember when the Greeks pulled it off at Euro 2004?

Solid second half there—we did exactly what we needed to do to stay in the game. But let’s be real, I don't see us getting past the Danes this time! Huge props to our guys though, they played their hearts out.☕

Raymond Anderson4 said:Sondergaard Sarup always plays us tough. Honestly, I'm more worried about him than Hansen.

Their wings are absolute trash... we have to exploit that.

Way to go, guys! 😍

Quick question though. What was Goluza thinking, leaving Drago on the bench like that? I mean, if he’s only seen the court for like one minute the whole tournament... 😳

Betty Anderson65 said:Way to go, boys! 😍

Just one question. I guess what was going through Goluza's mind to keep Drag on the bench like that? If he’s only played maybe one minute the whole tournament... 😳

It's nepotism, plain and simple. Either it's family ties, or someone's being forced out of the national team by the higher-ups.

Matthew Taylor15 said:their wings were just terrible... you really have to capitalize on that

You gotta be kidding me 🤣

Honestly, our guys played an incredible second half 👍

The defense was struggling pretty hard in the first half, and I guess Vreca had to bail us out a few times just so we didn't totally sink.

Duvnjak was awesome, all three wingers played their best game yet, and Bicko was absolutely killing it in the second half.

George Ward7 said:You gotta be kidding me 🤣

Anyway, our guys played a killer second half today. 👍

Defense was struggling early on—honestly, Vreca had to bail us out a few times just to keep us from sinking.

Duvnjak was on point, the wingers finally showed up and played their best game yet—all three of them—and Bicko was absolutely electric in the second half.

I'm talking about today's game specifically 🤣

Someone really needs to give that spear-thrower a good smack upside the head. I mean, honestly, his stupidity is almost proportional to his height—it’s hard to wrap my brain around how a guy can be that thick-headed. He’s a total disaster. On the other hand, massive props to Dulet; seriously, hats off to him. He proved he’s a true master of the game and belongs right at the top of the handball world.

Krme is pushing Vukovar out of the lineup, and now they’re getting in his head just like they did with all the other players he tossed aside before him 🙂
He won't let the guy play, and honestly, he's gonna snap soon. Once he finally snaps and takes a swing at Goluza, he'll have his perfect little excuse—claiming "unsportsmanlike conduct" or saying someone isn't "respecting the hierarchy" or whatever bullshit 🙂

It all looks pretty great on paper when we're playing teams that aren't even in our league—basically everyone except the actual semifinalists. But once we get to the big stage, things fall apart. We hit a wall against teams like Mexico, or we stumble against Denmark, or suddenly we're facing that Olympic Games pressure...

Did anyone else catch that? I honestly can't believe it wasn't more obvious, but those Polish fans in the stands were basically relentless the entire game whenever we had possession. They were screaming, mocking, chanting—it was almost like they were trying to spit on us. Honestly, all they were missing were laser pointers to make the whole spectacle complete, probably just a desperate attempt to throw our 🙂
off their game. And then, naturally, when the ball was in Polish hands, it was nothing but "POLAND! POLAND!" pure support for their own. I suppose that makes sense for them, but for us, that constant, nasty whistling throughout the entire match was just awful. It felt like it actually ramped up toward the end, especially during that foul on their player where they assumed one of ours did it, even though he didn't.
Anyway, I just wanted to say, it felt incredibly ugly and shameful to me. I was honestly on the verge of just turning off the TV because it was becoming unbearable; it really soured the whole experience for me. (Am I really the only one who found it that obnoxious? 😁). That said, I’m so relieved our guys didn't let it get to them and managed to pull off the win. If anything, it just makes the victory feel sweeter out of pure spite against all that shameless, loud-mouthed 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙂
behavior. I don't recall ever seeing this kind of behavior before, where they cheer against the opponent for the entire duration of the match. Just disgusting.

It really makes me wonder how things will go against Denmark, though I'm sure the arena will be packed to capacity regardless.

Danube wind said:It's tough...

The pressure is all on Denmark now.

They’ve got the home court advantage, the stands are packed, they're the heavy favorites... honestly, just based on those factors alone, I still believe we can pull this off.

It will be an uphill battle, certainly, but nothing is impossible...

If Mirko can just replicate those stellar saves and if our offense finds its rhythm, we might actually have a shot.

We have a chance.

We really do. 🙂

It is quite rewarding to read through this thread from the beginning, visualizing the game alongside the commentary. I suggest you try it if you haven't already. 😁

It is somewhat reassuring that, based on the final statements from Goluza and Bicko, it appears we actually possessed a cohesive strategy. 🙂

I find myself pleased that Denmark are the favorites; it allows us to play without undue pressure and see where the chips fall.
If nothing else, the Spaniards aren't particularly formidable, so another bronze medal might just be within our reach. 😁

I was just sitting here reflecting on how much things have changed lately, almost like when I used to spend my Saturday mornings tinkering with old electronics before everything went digital, and it struck me how much we rely on certain rhythms in our lives to stay grounded. It’s funny, really, because I was thinking about that one particular game—you know, that intense FIBA World Cup matchup where the USA took on Poland with a score of 85:75—and how much mental stamina that kind of competition requires from everyone involved. It reminded me of a small project I once undertook back in college, trying to organize a local charity run through a similar level of meticulous planning, though obviously without the global spotlight! Anyway, I find myself drifting back to those moments of high stakes and quiet preparation quite often these days, finding a strange sort of comfort in the way athletes and professionals alike prepare themselves for the big stage, even if most of us are just navigating our own much smaller, everyday arenas. kaže:
I honestly feel like someone needs to give that Spear guy a good reality check, maybe even a little tap on the head just to shake things loose. I can't quite wrap my head around how someone can be so incredibly tall yet possess such a massive mental block—it’s almost impressive how stubborn he can be, if you think about it. It’s just baffling to watch him struggle like that. On the other hand, I have to say, huge props to Dušan; he really stepped up and proved once again why he belongs among the absolute elite of the handball world. He truly is a master of his craft.

Sent from my iPhone using Twitter iPhone using

It really is just a timeless classic, isn't it? There’s something about those certain things that never seems to lose their luster, no matter how much time passes or how many new trends come and go. I was actually thinking about this the other day while I was sitting in a small coffee shop over in Seattle—just watching the rain hit the window and reflecting on how some patterns simply repeat themselves in the best way possible. It reminds me of those old reliable favorites you can always count on when everything else feels a bit too chaotic or unpredictable. Truly, a tried and true staple. 😁

I have to say, huge props to the team for pulling off that win; we managed to hit our baseline goal, which is really what matters most right now.
I have to admit, looking at how the Danes play, I’m feeling a little bit apprehensive about facing them; it feels like an uphill battle that’s going to be incredibly tough, if not nearly impossible, to overcome.
Honestly, if you look back at how they treated Domagoj Duvnjak during that last championship—it was like watching a total circus, just absolute chaos—you really have to wonder what they were thinking. It’s honestly mind-boggling when you sit down and actually process it.
If that idiot doesn't start drilling their plays for situations exactly like this one, we are absolutely, positively screwed.
I can't quite put my finger on why, but I have this nagging feeling that he isn't exactly anything to write home about when it comes to being well-practiced. It’s just one of those gut instincts I get sometimes, much like that time I was watching a local high school scrimmage back in Ohio and realized the star player was all flash and no substance, so I can't help but wonder if we're seeing a similar lack of preparation here.
I suppose we might stand a fighting chance if Goluža manages to get Slaven Štimac on a flight over to Denmark, just so those two can sneak into the locker room before tip-off and try to charm their way into some kind of divine intervention.

Did you catch last night's tactics? We ought to simply replicate them. Domagoj Duvnjak carries the load in the first half while the two wingers refuse to take shots. If Dušan tightens the defense, then the Spear and Bićko utilize their sheer power and pace to break through their lines.

In all seriousness, though, what Vori mentioned at the start of the second half is precisely what secured our win. Rapid ball movement to the wings—Domagoj Štrlek and Horvat have been phenomenal this tournament. Eventually, the middle will open up as well.

Andrew Chavez3 said:That Spear player needs a good smack upside the head. I don't know if he's just tall or just incredibly dim, but I can't wrap my mind around why that kid has such a mental block. He's completely clueless. Hats off to Dušan, though. Total class. He proved he’s a master and belongs at the absolute top of the sport.

Spear is definitely something else, but I honestly don't get who keeps Gojun on this roster or why.

When he steps onto the court, you already know what's coming: either he picks up a penalty—I mean, against the Poles in the FIBA World Cup, he barely played 8 minutes before getting 4 minutes suspended 🙂—or he just throws the ball into the stands. Meanwhile, Vuković doesn't get a single second of playing time. 🤷

As for the fans, booing and chanting against the opposing team is standard procedure. There’s nothing weird or unusual about it, especially when a player is performing like that...