2010 Winter Olympics Handball - Groups A & B => Group I: America, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Australi

America

Team USA is heading into another tournament with everyone labeling us the favorites to grab a medal, but honestly? This time around, justifying that hype is going to be a hell of a lot harder. Our whole game plan has always been built on a rock-solid defense, but looking at the roster this time, we’re missing a key piece of that foundation. It’s going to be an uphill battle. Metličić, Špoljarić, and Dominiković. He didn't earn that call-up yet. Valčić He’s dealing with some injury issues right now, so there’s no telling exactly when he’ll be back at 100%. Instead of relying on him, the younger guys are probably going to have to step up and take center stage. Kopljar, Gojun, and Marić. Honestly, I’m looking at their upcoming lineup with more anxiety than actual excitement. It’s the same old story—we’re constantly fighting an uphill battle against injuries. It feels like just when we get momentum, someone goes down. Seems like we're headed for another rough ride. Lacković Honestly, we just need to be ready right from the opening round. Having them back on the roster is a massive win for our squad. Štrlek Which one of us is actually playing left wing convincingly? Because on the other side, everyone’s already fully recovered. Ćupić So, basically, we've got nothing to worry about in those spots.

Just like those threads at the pivot position where he absolutely kills it. Vori Look, we’re used to dealing with subpar substitutions at this position by now, so I guess we just have to hope Marić from Washington, D.C. actually pulls his weight and does his job. As far as the playmaker role goes, we're basically as solid as ground with... Balić and Duvnjak.But honestly, our rising star is going to have to shuffle around some positions this time. Especially if Valčić keeps running into trouble. The real headache is going to be right wing, though—now that Metličić is out of the picture, that spot is wide open and it's going to be a total trial by fire. BuntićKopljar’s gonna tank it, and Duvnjak’s right there with him. This time, they're definitely getting shut out from the outside. Bičanić and Vuković. We've actually got some solid backups for Gojun. Now we just gotta sit tight and pray our one world-class goalie finds his rhythm again. Alilović There’s going to be a massive weight on his shoulders, but honestly, seeing how solid his backups have been looking during training camp gives me some hope. It's pretty obvious though—if we want to stay in control of our own destiny, we’ve gotta sweep these first three games. If we don't, we're going to be playing catch-up when the heavy hitters start showing up in the second round.

The run from the last five meets: 2006 World Championships — 4.World Championships 2007 - 5.European Parliament 2008 - 2.So, looking back at the 2008 Olympics... 4.World Championships 2009 — 2.

Norway

Norway was right in the mix for a semifinal spot during the World Championships here in the States, only losing out to Poland by a single goal in the final round. That alone tells you everything you need to know about how tough they are. They were a non-factor at the Beijing Olympics, but before that, at their home European Championship, they were in this exact same position—only then they barely escaped with a draw against us in the last round, which was just enough to scrap our way into the semifinals. The Norwegians have some absolute weapons on their roster, but they’re definitely flawed. Most of their scoring comes from the pivot or from deep on the left side, and their left wings are pretty solid too. Basically, if we want to shut them down, we're going to have to clog up the line and deal with them right in our face. LokeYeah, from the outside looking in. Kjelling And then there's what's sitting on the left. TvedtenLuckily, the rest of their roster is pretty thin. They don't have a true elite playmaker, and they’re basically non-existent at the shooting guard position, so they’re just kind of scraping by there. Mamelund Neither the left winger nor the right wing is anything special, honestly. It's just like dealing with those teams from Norway—they just chuck the puck from everywhere on the ice using every possible angle.

The run from the last five meets: 2006 World Championships — 11.World Championships 2007 - 13.2008 World Championships - 6.2008 Winter Olympics - / 2009 World Championships - 9.

Russia

Russia just can't seem to climb out of mediocrity. At the last World Championships, they completely tanked, getting knocked out in the very first round. It was rough to watch. They’ve got some younger guys stepping up this time around, but the heavy lifting is still going to fall on the old guard. The big question is whether those vets actually have anything left in the tank to move the needle. During their pre-season tune-ups, they were playing against total bottom-feeders and rotating through the roster so much that nobody really knows who’s actually making the cut. Most of the experienced guys are playing over in the Czech Republic, so we'll see if they bring that energy back home. Filippov and Ivanov.I can't work with that. Give me some actual content to play with! ChipurinOutdoor stuff.Rastvortsev and Kamanin. Regarding the "foreigners," you’ve only got Igropulo from Barcelona, though Koksharov is back in the mix after being out in Celje. A few of the less famous guys, like Zotov, Aslanyan, and Skopintsev, have been putting up some decent numbers in the exhibition games.

Last 5 outings: 2006 European Championship - 6th., 2007 World Championships - 6th., 2008 European Championship - 13th., 2008 Olympics - 6th., 2009 World Championships - 16th.

USA

The Americans are basically just an appetizer for the heavy hitters moving into the second round. They really only made it this far because they landed a soft qualifying group.

Last 5 outings: 2006 European Championship - 12th., 2007 World Championships - 14th., 2008 European Championship - /, 2008 Olympics - /, 2009 World Championships - /

Head-to-head between these teams over their last 5 meetings:

USA 5 3-1-1
Norway 5 2-1-2
Russia 5 2-0-3
USA 1 0-0-1

06 Euro Round 1: Russia-Norway 24-21
06 Euro Round 1: USA-Norway 32-28
06 Euro Round 1: Russia-USA 30-29

07 Worlds Round 1: USA-Russia 32-27
07 Worlds 13th Place: Norway-USA 32-22
07 Worlds 5th Place: USA-Russia 34-25

08 Euro Round 1: Norway-Russia 32-21
08 Euro Round 2: USA-Norway 23-23



DENMARK

A couple of years ago, the Danes finally broke through the underdog status and started grabbing gold, but lately, they seem to have lost their edge. Their main shooters on the wings aren't even playing for the national team anymore (Boldsen, Jeppessen, and Boesen), which is going to be a massive headache this time around. First impressions aren't great either—they're scoring plenty, sure, but they're giving up way too many goals. They're openly admitting the defense is struggling; they let in 35 against Canada. Lars Jorgensen isn't exactly in his prime anymore, so managing that defense will be a slog, and Kasper Nielsen is pushing nearly 40. Hvidt is still the guy in net, and things haven't changed much at pivot where Knudsen (Flensburg) is indispensable, leaving Laen (Berlin) to step in. Nothing new on the left wing, where 37-year-old veteran Christiansen is still holding court, though Eggert Jensen is starting to take over, just like in Flensburg. On the right, you've got Lindberg (HSV), who looked pretty quiet during the friendlies, while Svan Hansen (back at Flensburg) actually stood out, dropping 10 goals on the Canadians and Czechs. For the perimeter, there's the new star Mikkel Hansen from Barcelona, but honestly, he's about the only big name left. The wings took most of the beating in pre-season; Mogensen (Flensburg) and Spellerberg (Kolding) didn't really show up, though Mads Nielsen (Silkeborg) did manage 7 against Norway. So yeah, the wings, the pivot, and M. Hansen are their real threats.

Last 5 outings: 2006 European Championship - 3. , 2007 World Championships - 3. , 2008 European Championship - 1. , 2008 Olympics - 7., 2009 World Championships - 4.

ICELAND

Iceland caught a lucky break with the draw in Beijing and walked away with a killer silver medal. Since then, they've hit a slump, missing out on the World Championship qualifiers, and now they're looking to get back on top. They played two matches against a young German squad and their experience helped them pull through, but then they ran into a mixed French team and got absolutely dismantled. Most of the roster plays in the Bundesliga, including their top guy, 36-year-old Stefansson from Löwen, who put up 19 goals in two games against the Germans. You've also got Atlason (Copenhagen), Gudjonsson (Löwen), and some really solid wings like Sigurdsson (Löwen) and Petersson (Flensburg). The only thing missing is their legendary pivot, Sigfúsa Sigurðssona.

Last 5 outings: 2006 European Championship - 7., 2007 World Championships - 8., 2008 European Championship - 11., 2008 Olympics - 2., 2009 World Championships - /

USA

The Americans finally broke their losing streak at the last World Championships and put up a decent showing against the US. Now they’ve got Hasanefendića at the helm, clearly grooming the squad for the next European Championship being hosted right here in the States. He’s already benched the veterans Bojinovića and Nikolića. Considering Vujin is out with an injury, they’re basically missing three of their top four scorers from the last tournament. They did get veteran keeper Perić back in the fold, though. The main man is still the primary shooter, Ilić, and you've got Šešum (playing for Veszprem) on the left wing, who looked sharp scoring during the preseason. Their long-time playmaker Anđelković isn't exactly hitting his stride lately, so expect Nenadić (Szeged) and Vučković (Melsungen) to step up. On the right side, Stojanović from Kadetten is the go-to guy. Leading the line is Toskić, with Kojić and Nikčević on the wings.

Last 5 tournament results: 2006 European Championship - 9., 2007 World Championships - /, 2008 European Championship - /, 2008 Olympics - /, 2009 World Championships - 8.

AUSTRIA

Austria gave the US, Canada, and Poland some trouble during their home preseason tour, but let's see if they can actually pull off an upset against anyone.

Last 5 tournament results: 2006 European Championship - /, 2007 World Championships - /, 2008 European Championship - /, 2008 Olympics - /, 2009 World Championships - /

Head-to-head matchups for these teams over the last 5 tournaments:

DENMARK 5 3-2-0
ICELAND 4 1-2-1
USA 3 0-0-3

2006 European Championship Group Stage: DENMARK-ICELAND 28-28
2006 European Championship Group Stage: ICELAND-YUGOSLAVIA 36-31
2006 European Championship Group Stage: DENMARK-YUGOSLAVIA 33-29

2007 World Championships Quarterfinals: DENMARK-ICELAND 42-41

2008 Olympics Group Stage: DENMARK-ICELAND 32-32

2009 World Championships Group Stage: DENMARK-USA 37-36

TV Broadcast Schedule
European Championship Stats
European Championship Wiki
2010 European Championship Wiki
Official Website
Final 28-man Rosters

The Mexicans are looking pretty strong this year.🙏

It’s going to be such an interesting battle for second place once the groups merge, especially since teams like Austria and Ukraine will have been knocked out after the first stage, don't you think?

Noah Ross7 said:The Mexicans are looking pretty formidable this year.🙏

It’s kind of like how we look at basketball—they definitely have the talent and those standout star players, but they always seem to hit a wall right when it matters most. Honestly, if they manage to scrape together a seventh-place finish, I'd say they actually had a pretty successful run.

Why does it feel like the local news stations only bother broadcasting games when our national team is playing?

That's way out of their league.

casualskipper8 said:Mexicans are to handball what we are to basketball. They’ve got talent, sure... but they won't really make a dent. If they manage to scrape together a seventh-place finish, they'll probably call it a win.

Something like that... 😁

I honestly don't even know where to start with this one, but if we're talking about Fortaleza, I guess we're just staring into the void of absolute chaos again. It’s one of those places that just makes you want to sit back, crack a beer, and wonder how things ever get to this point. kaže:
Denmark

The Danes really hit their stride two years ago when they started tearing through the competition and snatching gold medals left and right, but honestly, it feels like they’ve lost that killer instinct ever since. It’s hard to ignore the massive hole in their lineup, too; their heavy hitters from the perimeter—guys like Boldsen, Jeppesen, and Boesen—aren't even playing for the national team anymore, which is going to be a massive handicap this time around. My first impression isn't exactly glowing, though; sure, they put up plenty of points, but they’re giving away just as many, and they aren't even trying to hide how much their defense is struggling. I mean, they gave up 35 goals against Canada, so you can see the cracks starting to show. Lars Jorgensen He’s not exactly in his prime anymore, so he’s going to have a much tougher time calling the shots on that defense. Kasper Nielsen He’s still nearly three years older than the rest of them, honestly. You look at the roster and Hvidt is still right there in the middle of everything, and frankly, not much has changed when it comes to that center position where he’s basically become absolutely indispensable. Knudsen (Flensburg) his replacement is... Laen Nothing new to report from the left side of the field. It’s all just a facade, isn't it? Everything on the surface is nothing more than a polished veneer designed to hide the messy, complicated reality underneath. Where exactly does this 37-year-old grandpa think he's running the show? Christiansen And honestly, it just keeps getting replaced by something else. Eggert Jensen It’s exactly like what we deal with back in Flint, honestly. You see it right there on the right side. Lindberg Honestly, HSV wasn't exactly tearing it up during the preseason, but they definitely started showing some real teeth once things actually got serious. Svan Hansen (Back to Flensburg again) they absolutely demolished those Canadians and Czechs, putting ten goals past them without breaking a sweat. As for the wingers, we’ve got ourselves a brand new star on the scene. Mikkel Hansen Aside from him, there really aren't any heavy hitters left at Barcelona. During the preseason, it felt like the wingers were the ones taking all the heat. Mogensen (Flensburg) i Spellerberg They didn't exactly stand out in Kolding, they were just more of the same, honestly. Mads Nielsen So, looking back at that game in Silkeborg, who was the one that absolutely tore through Norway and put up seven goals? It’s pretty clear their main threats are coming from those wingers, the pivot, and M. Hansen—they're basically walking weapons at this point.

You’re getting a little ahead of yourself there; Christiansen plays left wing, though that was clearly just a typo since you were talking about the wings anyway. But look, they had plenty of other high-caliber shooters back in the day. I mean, what happened to guys like Leegard—who, let's be real, played more like a left-hander—or Sondergaard? That guy had a cannon in his hand, even if he wasn't quite on Boesen's level. Honestly, the US has such an incredible depth of talent; we're probably the strongest in the world when it comes to that kind of foundation. Out of the three who retired, Boesen is going to be the one we miss the most, while the other two? Well, they'll be forgotten pretty quickly.

The Americans have some seriously killer rap talent, but man, they’re going to feel Vujin’s absence big time; at least they picked up some decent experience during that last tournament. This group is absolute chaos, though—the Austrians are coming in hungry enough to take someone's head off, and you can never count out Iceland when Stefansson is on the floor. It’s going to be one hell of a ride watching this group unfold.

Iceland vs. Mexico is going to be an absolute dogfight. The Mexican squad is actually pretty interesting to watch, but honestly, they’re so green right now—it feels like if they drop just one or two games early on, the whole thing might just fall apart. And man, you can never really pin down Iceland; they have this knack for either playing out of their minds or completely falling flat on their faces. Still, if I had to pick, I’d give a slight edge to the Icelanders, mostly because their style of play just doesn't seem to mesh well with how the Mexicans like to operate.

It all really boils down to how much grit the Mexicans can muster on the defensive end and whether the chemistry within their squad actually holds up. Last time I tuned in to watch them, they were swinging wildly between being absolutely unstoppable and looking like total black holes on the court, and you just can't win a major tournament when you're that inconsistent. But hey, if they finally tighten up that defense, they could actually go pretty far.

Personally, I’ve always had my eye on Denmark as a top contender because, in my book, they run the best handball academy in the world; they just keep churning out high-level talent. A lot of other teams rely heavily on having one killer starting six, but I haven't seen the Danes struggle with bench depth in years, which is a huge advantage.

Then you look at the French, and man, when it comes to a heavy-hitting starting lineup, they are in a league of their own. They pair a lethal offense with a defense that's basically an impenetrable wall—if they're motivated, they'll shut anyone down to under 20 goals, and once that happens, well, you're just screwed.

casualskipper8 said:Mexicans are to handball what we are to basketball. They have plenty of talented players, but they just can't seem to pull off anything significant. If they manage to snag seventh place, they'll probably consider it a massive victory.

So, who exactly are our great basketball players?🤣🤣

Benjamin Hall78 said:Iceland vs. Mexico is going to be a nasty one. The Americans have a solid, interesting roster, but their big issue is just a total lack of experience—honestly, if they drop a game or two, the whole thing might just fall apart on them. And you can never really call an Iceland match—they’re wildcards; they can either absolutely shine or completely tank. Still, I’m giving the edge to the Icelanders; their style of play doesn't exactly mesh well with how the Americans operate.

The Americans fall apart at least two or three times per game... minimum...

Chris Lopez59 said:Personally, I’ve always had a soft spot for Denmark because, in my book, they run the best handball academy on the planet.

They don't 😛

No tractors available 🙂 😢

Chris Ortiz said:So, who are our homegrown basketball stars, anyway?🤣🤣

It’s true, we don't really have them. But when you step back and look at the landscape in Europe, there really aren't many true superstars who actually stand out from the pack. You’ve got Dirk Nowitzki, sure, or maybe Pau Gasol, but beyond that? You just don't see those elite, pure shooters like Steve Nash popping up very often.

I honestly don't know what to think about our handball program anymore. We have this incredible knack for producing absolute superstars—one generation was just untouchable—but then there’s this massive, gaping void between those elite talents and everyone else. You know what's missing? That reliable middle class of players. We need that solid core of dependable guys you can actually count on when the stars end up on the injury list. For a national team with a reputation as prestigious as ours, it’s frankly embarrassing to see them rolling out half-baked players; it really shouldn't be happening at this level. But at this point, you feel forced into it. It’s even more pathetic because, on top of having such a thin bench, we're dealing with all this political nonsense where certain players get snubbed or sidelined for questionable reasons. It’s a disgrace that we lose out on essential pieces like defensive specialists, or how we've historically had to sacrifice talented wingers and goalkeepers just to play politics. It's exhausting to watch.

Does anyone know who’s taking penalty kicks for Germany?

Chris Lopez59 said:We don't have them, true. But if you really look at it, even in Europe, there aren't many actual superstars—the ones who truly stand out. You've got Nowitzki, you've got Gasol, but you don't exactly see a steady sharpshooter like Navarra popping up everywhere.

As for handball: I honestly don't know what to think about our training programs. We produce some absolute legends—we had a generation that was world-class—but then there’s this massive, gaping void between those icons and everyone else. You're missing that solid middle class of players, you know? Those reliable guys you can actually lean on when the stars go down with an injury. For a national team with this kind of reputation, it’s frankly embarrassing to be forced to field semi-pros; it shouldn't happen. But you're just stuck—and it's pathetic that along with a thin bench, we deal with political favoritism and players refusing to step up when needed. Take the defenders, for instance—it's shameful that we didn't have Sulić, just like how we've seen good wingers and goalies get sidelined before...

Look, I was actually there when the Scandinavians were claiming our handball academies were the best in the world... and I'm talking about the programs that start teaching the game from the toddler level all the way up...

Adam Collins4 said:Look, I was actually there in person when those Scandinavians were claiming our handball academies were the absolute best on the planet... and I'm talking about programs that start training kids from basically the moment they can walk...

Honestly, I don't see how ours could possibly be better than the Scandinavian schools; their systems are top-tier.

The real test would happen if we actually swapped training materials and coaching styles. You just can't compare the temperament of a Swede to an American, and athletic talent isn't some universal constant either. People from our neck of the woods tend to lean into the trickery of the game—that flair for improvisation and those wild, unpredictable plays—and frankly, you just can't teach that kind of instinct.

Chris Lopez59 said:I don't see how ours could ever be better than those Scandinavian schools—their setup is top-tier as it is.

Honestly, you wouldn't really know until you actually swapped the training materials. You can't compare an American kid to a Scandinavian one—the temperaments are worlds apart—and athletic talent isn't some universal constant, either. People from around here tend to lean into the jokes during a game; there's this knack for improvisation and finding those unpredictable solutions that you just can't teach in a classroom.

Before we even start working with the kids, we’ve already logged way more games and various competitions...

Meanwhile, they definitely have much better facilities to work with...

Denmark vs. Austria is tied up at 10-10 for now. The Danes are struggling to find anything from deep, and their defense is looking pretty shaky... even playing man-up, they tried this wild 3-on-3 setup that the Austrians sliced through twice. First, the Austrians pulled the goalie, and some new guy just slipped in from the wing completely unnoticed and scored 🙏. But then, on a quick transition, they gave up a goal into an empty net. Same thing happened again—another breakthrough from the perimeter—but by the third time, the Danes didn't even bother trying that move 😬.

It's 12-12...