Bronze Medal Match: USA vs. Norway (31-24)

Man, Alilovic had some killer tournaments leading up to the semifinals, but it’s just sad. He and Cupic have been falling apart in the big games for years now. Those tiny margins have cost us so many times. It’s definitely not a coincidence. Look at today—the Norwegians were down by 2 and we had an extra man, then Steve pulls off a huge defensive stop, and boom, we score on the next play plus they get a penalty... if it hadn't been a 1-point lead, who knows what would've happened.

Back when we were actually winning gold, we had guys like Sholl and Losert who knew how to shut things down in 2003 and 2004... people forget that way too fast.

This whole curse against the Frenchmen started back in that hellish 2007 run. We were playing the best handball in the history of the sport during that tournament; we were insanely good. But just one old veteran, O'Meyer, was enough to wreck our entire generation and create a permanent mental block for us—not to mention Chervar being a total clown that Onesta treats like a genius. Honestly, all that French "dominance" wouldn't even be possible without O'Meyer.

I'm positive we would've grabbed a couple of golds if we just had a better goalie. Even with a roster that was 20-30 percent weaker than what we had, a goalie is just too dominant in this sport for us to ignore.

The other issue is Chervar. He couldn't figure anything out except for his go-to tactic of just handing the ball to Balic whenever things went south. Don't even get me started on Goluz.

If we had one legit goalie and a coach with actual authority and brains, we could have avoided this tragedy. Since 2004, we haven't seen a single gold medal despite having players this talented.

This new coach basically told me everything I need to know. Starting a semifinal with Alilovic and Cupic? The guy is an idiot, though he's a nice enough guy.

I have nothing against Thomas in the paint—he needs solid play to actually be dominant, and let's face it, he isn't Shaq, for crying out loud. Don't go labeling me one of Thomas's haters; I'm just calling out that octopus who puts in maybe 10-15% effort on defense from tournament to tournament.

And it doesn't matter if Swab makes the save tomorrow—what kind of argument is that? The guy is pure gold, yet you're over here worrying about whether "he'll make the save tomorrow"? 😂 You are seriously defending Mike like he's your own son! Imagine if we were playing in the finals and Mirko Bran was as shaky as Swab is today—I bet you'd be writing him nothing but praise; you certainly wouldn't be asking if his dad would defend him tomorrow!

I know all goalie saves look similar at first glance, but there's a massive difference in positioning, closing down an attacker, wing defense, clearing corners, or choosing the right angle on outside shots instead of just diving for the floor in the middle—so if you think I'm wrong, well, you're wrong. God, the guy is the worst goalie in America—that's what we're talking about—and it proves itself tournament after tournament, game after game... Just take all those arguments of yours and throw them in the trash.

And I don't think there's a lobby behind him; I think he's just a textbook example of being overrated—a total textbook case.

So, basically, when Mirko makes a save our players are playing bad defense, but when Steve makes a save our players are playing great defense... My, how interesting!

George Chavez8 said:Back when we were grabbing gold, we had Scholl and Losert—they knew exactly when to step up in '03 and '04... though everyone seems to forget that pretty fast.

This whole curse involving the Frenchmen started back in that miserable 2007 tournament. We were playing the absolute best handball in history during that run—we were insanely good! But apparently, just one old lion, Omeyer, was enough to wreck our entire generation and leave us with this permanent mental block.

I’m convinced we would’ve walked away with a few more golds if we just had a better goalie—even if the rest of the roster was 20-30% weaker than what we actually had. In a sport like this, the keeper is everything.

One elite goalkeeper and a coach with actual authority and expertise would have prevented this tragedy; since 2004, we haven't seen a single gold despite having players this talented.

Our new coach basically told me everything when the semifinals start with Alilović and Čupič—the guy is an idiot, though he is a likable one.

SIGNATURE 👍

If we had a weaker roster but possessed someone like Omeyer, we would have landed 3 or 4 golds after '04.

When I think back to 2007, the tears literally come to my eyes—one damn goalie snatched the gold right out of our hands. Just one goalie.

Omeyer is the perfect example of what a goalie can do for handball—specifically, that vital communication and synergy between the defense and the net. We have the defense, but we don't have the goalie. So, goodbye. 🙂

Since 2010, this guy hasn't saved a single thing in the big games. That last tournament was honestly the last time it felt like we actually had a goalie we could count on.

It’s been seven tournaments since then, and he’s consistently been our biggest liability. Every single time we make it to a semifinal and need someone to step up and carry the squad, he just chokes. We're talking save percentages of like 10-25%—that’s basically his ceiling.

Bašić said before the tournament that lacking solid goalkeeping cost us maybe two or three gold medals, and honestly, he knows a hell of a lot more about this than you do, Carl Garcia22.

I swear, I hope he just moves on and finds luck somewhere else. Yeah, right—as if anyone's going to shed a tear when he leaves.🤣

Man, you complain about Cement as much as you bitch about Stevanovic. Like, sure, if he plays well, the defense looks elite, but come on.🤣 The defense was elite back when he pulled off those two penalty saves against Rutenki, when he stopped two against the Poles, and even today against the Norwegians.

Don't be blind when you clearly have perfect vision.☕

Maybe try defending a little, thanks midwife. We attack him too, you know? You lost that game because of Mirko.

Carl Garcia22 said:Guardiola? 🤣🤣

For crying out loud, if you didn't come into this Major League Soccer season ready to defend the guy, I don't know why anyone is even coming for Pepa. 🤔

Hey Carl Garcia22, just find me one—just one single game—where Alilovic played better than Swab today? Don't even bother looking at semifinals or finals, because we both know Alilovic never actually saved us...

Let’s just be realistic when it comes to Babić—he was a tough pill to swallow during that finals run—but if Goluža had been the one calling the shots on the bench, he probably would have started today's game with Alilović and Čupić anyway. He likely wouldn't have even given those "boys" any meaningful minutes, maybe just a couple of minutes here and there to keep them warm. Instead, Babić brought in Zlaja and Steve. Honestly, it was one of his few truly smart tactical moves.

What a clown 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

''I know I haven't forgotten how to defend in three or four games—but let’s be real, someone around here always needs a scapegoat. I’ve been in this game for ten years now, and lately, whether it's fair or not, I seem to be the one everyone points the finger at. I’m used to it by now.''

''Things were rough last year in the States (I mean, seriously, who would have thought you'd struggle in back-to-back tournaments?), but there's been stuff going on for a while now that just doesn't sit right with me. Honestly, it feels totally ridiculous that after just one or two games, people start questioning if I can still defend or not—they've been asking that same question for six or seven years straight! I’ve been playing elite handball for a decade; my career has been on an upward trajectory, and I’m part of a massive club like Veszprem—I certainly didn't stumble into that spot by accident. Besides, my hard work and discipline earned me another two-year contract extension, which should speak for itself. But look, I'll say it again: it hurts that things aren't going the way I want them to with the national team. It is what it is.''

It is what it is? Really? Then why are you putting Babić in the semifinals after Stevie plays the game of his life against the home team? 😂

He should go visit himself

Carl Garcia22 said:They played an incredible defense against the Americans just like they did against the Norwegians today—so it’s hardly surprising the keeper ended up with double-digit saves. When you're losing by more than eleven, you need absolutely everything to go your way, including a goalie who is playing in a trance. And yet, even in this match, Stevanović didn't make a single save in those final fifteen minutes.

Carl, give me a break. The defense wasn't doing Stevanović any favors today after he had to bail them out of two or three breakaway goals, two seven-meter shots, and several wing shots from decent angles. Some of those saves happened while we were shorthanded and the Norwegians were threatening to tie it or take the lead (I can't recall exactly)... Honestly, I can't remember the last time we saw Alilović play like that in a game like this.
Even Alilović admitted himself that his defense isn't where it needs to be—it's about time he finally owned up to it. He should step aside and let someone younger take over; Ivić really ought to be our keeper for the future.
In that game against Spain, he needed to be pulled earlier regardless of the breakaway opportunities. Sometimes a substitution provides a positive shock, but other times a sub can lose their head—you never know if they'll bail you out or cost you a few saves. Someone else might have stepped up before a keeper who has already surrendered 12 or 13 goals in a row. It isn't solely his fault, though; let me be clear—the defense was also terrible in the first half.

Better than bronze—we finally made it! 🙏🙏

Here’s a little prophecy for ya ☕

George Ward7 said:Just as much as I critique Cement, you criticize Stevanovic. It’s simple: when he plays well, suddenly the defense is flawless 🤣. But the defense was just as stellar when he saved two penalties against Rutenki, when he shut down those two penalties against the Poles, and even today when he stopped two from the Norwegians.

Don't be blind to what is right in front of you.☕

In Pierce's universe, everyone is at fault except for Cement.
But in our actual reality—the one where today's game took place—when we were staring down a dangerous 5-1 deficit, Steve stepped up, grabbed a +1 lead by saving a penalty, and then followed it up by stopping two more clear shots in a row.
Every single time he made one of those saves, we scored, eventually pulling ahead to a comfortable +4.
That is what true goalkeeper impact looks like. It is something we haven't witnessed from Cement in years.

George Chavez8 said:Alilovic had some really solid tournaments leading up to the semifinals, but it’s always the same story. He and Cupic have been falling apart during those high-stakes moments for years now. Those tiny margins have decided so many games. And honestly, it isn't just bad luck. Today was the perfect example. The Norwegians were down by two and playing with an extra man; Steve manages to defend, and then we immediately follow up with a goal plus a penalty on them... If that margin hadn't been -1 instead, who knows what would have happened?

I think you're stretching that theory a bit too far. 🙂

When we were busy stacking up gold, we had Scholl and Losert on the roster, guys who knew exactly when to step up and deliver back in 2003 and 2004. But of course, people tend to forget that pretty quickly.

Back when we were grabbing gold, the US was running the best defense on the planet. We had a lineup of elite defensive specialists like Metličić, Špoljarić, Dominiković, and Caleb. We won games simply because one of them would rack up five or six stops a night. Honestly, Scholl was just an average bench player at the club level. Venio, on the other hand, was clearly a tier above him in that department—not to mention he built a much more impressive career.
If "clutch defense" is actually a thing, then we’re talking about a small-town underdog squad. You can't base an entire outcome on just two defensive stops when you're grinding through sixty minutes of attack after attack. Does that really hold water? I wouldn't say so.

The whole curse involving the French started back in 2007. We were playing the most incredible handball in history during that tournament—we were insanely good. But apparently, one old lion, Omeyer, was all it took to wreck our entire generation and leave them stuck in a permanent rut. And let’s not forget Červar, that clown who thinks Onesta is some kind of life guru. Honestly, none of that French "dominance" would have even happened without Omeyer.

I honestly think they just wore B. Gille down by constantly attacking the perimeter around Balić. Between that and how Dinart and Karabatić absolutely smothered our pivot, there was basically nothing left. You can't expect to rely on Lac from ten meters out like some kind of guaranteed shot. Sure, Omeyer had one of those trance games against us, but he also had those nights where he only pulls eight or nine saves and they still win—those were the ones that actually stuck with you. It was the exact same story with Hvidt later in his career, or that 6-0 defense they ran with Jorgensen in the middle. They just have that way of doing it. 🙂

I’m convinced we could have walked away with a couple of gold medals if we just had a better goalkeeper. Honestly, if our roster had been even 20 or 30 percent weaker than what we actually had, it might have worked out. In a sport like this, the keeper is everything.

I actually see things differently. In a sport where success hinges on a goalie maintaining a 30-33% save rate, I wouldn't exactly call those numbers dominant—even if the statistics suggest otherwise. As for the other factors, like how much they actually influence the flow of the game? I'm not so sure. They seem to sit somewhere right in the middle.

Samuel Walker7 said:I have nothing against Tomic when it comes to rebounding. He needs solid play to be dominant, and he isn't the first or last big man in Europe to play like that. He’s no Shaq, for crying out loud. Don't lump me in with the Tomic haters; I'm just hating on that octopus who puts in about 10-15 percent effort on defense from tournament to tournament.

I was speaking generally; I wasn't even aiming it at you.

And it doesn't matter if Swab gets his act together tomorrow. What kind of argument is that? The guy wins gold, and you're asking "will he show up tomorrow"? 😂 You're defending Mirko bran like he's your own son. Imagine if we were playing in the finals and Mirko bran was more like Swab today—I bet you'd be writing him praise, not asking if he'll actually defend tomorrow.

The point was completely different; it doesn't matter.

I know all goalkeeper saves look similar at first glance, but there are differences in positioning, diving for certain shots, wing defense, setting up corners, or choosing an angle for long-range shots instead of just dropping it to the floor mid-court. If I'm right, then he's the worst goalie in Europe. That's what we're talking about. Tournament after tournament, game after game, he proves it... Just throw all your arguments out the window.

I know what you mean, but what you're describing is just the basics. Being a handball goalie isn't rocket science, and that's what I've been saying this whole time.

So, when Mirko bran is in net, our guys play bad defense, but when Stevie is in net, our guys play good defense... How interesting.

I didn't say that. 🙂

George Chavez8 said:Back when we were stacking up gold medals, we had Scholl and Losert who knew exactly when to step up and shut things down in 2003 and 2004... though people tend to forget those moments pretty fast.

We also had Matošević, Jerković, and Kelentrić, who acted as incredibly solid supporting players.

The whole nightmare involving the French team really kicked off back in 2007. We were playing the absolute best handball in the history of the sport during that tournament; we were insanely good. But it only took one veteran legend, Omeyer, to completely dismantle our entire generation and leave us with a permanent mental block—not to mention having Červar acting like a clown while Onesta plays the expert. Honestly, all that French "dominance" wouldn't have even been possible without Omeyer.

I am truly glad you brought that up. During that specific game, Mirko was absolutely incredible in the net; the goalkeepers were quite literally the best players on the court. Later on, toward the end, we started to fade, and he was saving almost every single shot that should have been a sure thing. It was their aggressive defense that ultimately broke us. And then there was that supposed "honor" where we didn't play tactically and just tried to overpower them head-on.

I think he had another standout performance like that in 2012, when he and Kopljar carried the team to practically tear through the French. If I recall correctly, that was the match where coffee and cake sent them straight to the scrapheap of history.

I don't remember clearly enough to say if there were any other games where he specifically dominated with his saves and led the squad.

Samuel Walker7 said:SIGNATURE 👍

If we had a slightly weaker roster but possessed even one guy like Omeyer, we would’ve walked away with 3 or 4 gold medals after 2004.

Man, when I think about 2007, it actually brings tears to my eyes. We literally had the gold snatched right out from under us by one damn goalkeeper. Just one guy.

Omeyer is the perfect example of what a keeper can do for a handball team—basically, it's all about that elite communication and chemistry between the defense and the goalie. We’ve got the defense down, but we don't have the keeper. So, adios! 🙂

Yeah, sure, but there's way more to it than just the goalie... for instance, nobody ever really calculated their moves during tournaments, which is something I value a lot. Take the Americans, for example. Aside from their genius player management, they’d always somehow stumble through the Euros in 2008 and 2012 before hitting the Olympics, which they’d then win and absolutely crush us with (okay, credit where credit's due, we beat them once), but look at them now... ironically, they just smoked us.

And we’d always end up grinding our way to those semifinals and finals, totally exhausted, with our star players dealing with broken legs or hands... those are all "little details" that our patriotic coaches, players, and the whole nation tend to ignore in the heat of the moment. It's great to give 100% every single time only to choke in the semifinal when it actually matters—classic us. It's about sports intelligence and peaking at the right time. We don't have that. It’s clear we just play on pure passion and prayers because, let's face it, we aren't the Americans.

Look at all these comments on ESPN.com 😂

Just more proof of the character of Americans who never knew how to appreciate talent, let alone play handball. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO PITY MIRKO ALILOVIĆ. Mirko, wherever you go, you have us who value your hard work

Mirko, don't you ever listen to them—you’re still a legend of American handball. As for those ungrateful people who only know how to criticize? That’s just our national flaw; don't even bother looking their way. You're still a giant...

Mirko, you've become a legend of American handball—let's remember all those beautiful saves you made. You brought us so many great moments, Mirko. Keep your head up, don't give up, we're moving forward!

Alilovic is a great athlete and a great man. We forget his massive games far too quickly, only remembering the bad ones, and then we undervalue and blame him.

Check out this "expert": ''What do you mean leaving? Just because he didn't save one game doesn't mean anything... we've never had a better goalie!! Maybe Scholl could step up.''

We'll never see a better goalkeeper, and as a person, America won't find anyone like Alilovic. So, thank you for everything you've done for the US

Take it easy, Mirko. You're a top-tier goalie and our national number one. Nobody is blaming you for anything—it's just a matter of perception, man, it happens to everyone. If that save had been better, you'd be the hero; it's all good

😂

That's it, shut it all down

Honestly, seeing the way certain idiots act after they settle for bronze—as if it’s some massive achievement that justifies their ego—makes me wish we had just been knocked out immediately at the Olympics. Then maybe I wouldn't have to deal with them constantly writing these delusional posts about "legends" every single season. ☕

jadeseal7 said:Honestly—because of idiots who suddenly act like nothing matters once they grab a bronze—I’d almost prefer we just stayed home from the Olympics entirely, just so I wouldn't have to read their endless posts about "legends." ☕

Personally? These players are legends—hats off to them for grinding through the pain. Kopljar is a total wimp sometimes, but even when he’s struggling, he gets out there and plays defense on one leg.

Meanwhile, while Mirko is basically useless because of some virus and fails to defend against the Americans, we somehow scrape by a win... then Stevie wins Player of the Game, and by the semifinals, you're stuck with Mirko acting like a complete clown in goal. You just can't get rid of him! 🤣

thanks Babić 🙏

Samuel Walker7 said:Personally, I think these players are absolute legends—I tip my hat to them every single time because they’ve truly given their all out there. Kopljar might be a bit soft sometimes, but the guy plays through the pain; even when he’s struggling, he steps up and handles the defense.

Meanwhile, when Mirko is acting like a total disaster—probably because of some flu or something—and fails to defend against the Americans, we end up losing to the Americans. Then Stevie takes the Player of the Game honors, and by the time we hit the semifinals, you’re stuck with Mirko playing like a complete clown in goal... honestly, you just can't get rid of him. 🤣

Thanks midwife 🙏

The players are incredible, really, but I just wish the guys who are actually performing would play more than the ones who just sound better on paper.

Honestly, Alilović's face said everything to me today—he looks like he's definitely asking for forgiveness.