Handball World Cup: America vs. Norway 25:28

Honestly, I think after this win we could actually go all the way because our confidence is through the roof, but let’s take a realistic look at this upcoming matchup. We took the last two head-to-head meetings back in 2016 when they were running basically the exact same roster they have now, though we were a bit stronger then. Steve led us through the Olympic qualifiers and put up some insane defensive numbers, but we can't count on that kind of heroics right now. I’m certain we’ll walk away with a 5-1 record against them; those two games didn't look bad, but back then we had Copland playing half the time for Sagosen, not Stepancic or Sheb—even if Sheb definitely prefers playing more central. The make-or-break factor will be our transition defense, because yesterday's first half against the Spaniards was absolutely pathetic, and the Norwegians are an even faster squad with a much stronger second wave than the Spaniards. I really can't afford to see Bergerud lose his cool here; we failed to step up against Spain, and I truly hope we don't repeat that mistake now. They aren't quite as big or tall, so we should find some breathing room on offense, but defensively, we have to shut down that machine of theirs that just relentlessly attacks from every single angle. If we can stifle their flow with a 5-1 setup and actually run back on defense, we'll have done half the work already.

Honestly, I think the Norwegians are even more dangerous than the Spaniards. Unlike them, they aren't nearly as limited offensively—they actually play with some damn grit. (Look, correct me if I'm wrong here, but I've viewed the Spaniards as a pretty one-dimensional squad for a while now... though obviously, they're sitting in the global top 4 for some reason, so maybe my take on their strength isn't totally objective). They don't have a massive, bruising pivot like the Spaniards do—which is a plus—but playing against the Norwegians requires a completely different game plan. These guys are fast, they fly across the court, and they'll shoot from basically anywhere. Against Spain, you just shut down the pivot and you've done most of the work because their perimeter shooters just aren't there—so they either force it through the wings or try to drive inside. The Norwegians don't have those limitations from what I've seen; they attack from every single spot on the floor. And man, they are lethal on the break... you've gotta be relentless and get back on defense immediately. On offense, we need to disrupt their rhythm as much as possible because they move that ball incredibly fast—they aren't sluggish like our guys, who act like it takes a century just to make a simple pass. Reading their flow and grabbing a few steals for a counter-attack is going to be huge.

Sure, we've smoked them in the last couple of matchups, so maybe they fit our style somewhat, but whatever. The Norwegians play elite handball and they've been systematically dismantling everyone so far—except for the French, against whom they actually showed how gritty and talented they truly are. Norway isn't exactly a household name in handball yet, so I think people tend to underestimate them. Like, "Oh, we're playing some random Norwegians in a semifinal," yeah? Well, you have to win that. It's true—you have to win. Easier said than done. Talent-wise, I have to say I've watched higher quality handball from the Norwegians than from our own squad, who rely way too much on individual brilliance and have wings that play like they're performing in a circus. We'll probably find it easier to penetrate the middle against the Norwegians than against the Swabians or Spaniards—which is fine by us since we can't play the wings anyway, and those teams just try to mimic Germany to neutralize everything. But on defense, stopping their ball movement and that offensive versatility is gonna be a nightmare.

And don't think for a second that we have some psychological edge just because we beat Spain. The Norwegians are an incredibly tough group mentally—they might even prefer facing us over Spain. Who knows? We'll see. This could turn into an all-out war for advancement, and honestly, any result is on the table. I'm not underestimating the Norwegians or claiming our guys are objectively better, because frankly, I don't see it. Maybe I'm wrong, sure, but based on what I've seen... this is gonna be a brutal game.

The US is part of the global handball elite. With major tournaments popping up every year—plus the Olympics thrown in—you end up with three big shots in a single cycle. Given our roster and the deep history we have in this sport, it’s almost inevitable that a team like ours will eventually walk away with a medal.

The reason we haven't grabbed gold in a long time is pretty simple: we keep getting handed coaches who are barely qualified to lead a local club like Nexe, and players seem to get called up based on who has the most market value. If the US wants to make that leap toward a gold medal, we need a top-tier head coach and we need the absolute best talent on the floor. At this rate, winning gold at the World Championships would require us to have a perfect day where the stars, the moon, and maybe even the tarot cards all align perfectly.

Honestly, with this specific group of players, any decent coach in the States could produce the results Babic is getting right now.

As a fan, it’s getting harder and harder to watch this stuff without getting frustrated. I don't care about who's whose godfather from some small town in Alabama or which player is being pushed for a big contract.

And as for bringing religion into this? I won't even go there. Have some faith and leave other people out of it.

Let's be real here for a second

Look, you can definitely beat Norway—they’re great, they've got young talent, and honestly, their roster is probably more well-rounded than ours right now—but we can do it. We’re the big dogs compared to them, even with this specific lineup, and I think that's going to get under their skin. Especially since they won't be able to ignore the fact that we just knocked out the Spaniards

But against France? Man, let's not kid ourselves, we don't stand a chance

Though, if we somehow stumble against the Norwegians, we're looking at a wild, high-stakes medal game against Vuja and his Slovak squad🙂

And why are we even stressing? Babic’s already started saying his prayers...🙂

The gamblers are all claiming the Norwegians are the slight favorites heading into our game.

Chris Fisher3 said:The bookies are saying the Norwegians are slight favorites in our matchup.

That's right, they might be the mini-favorites, but I guess we're the maxi-favorites.

After that massive win against the Gitanos, I’m honestly expecting a brutal game and a loss here.

27-24 for the Norwegians. ☕

jadewolf16 said:Norway vs. USA 60-40

What kind of logic is that? Honestly—did they drink some kind of magic potion overnight? We practically walked all over them twice last year with almost the exact same roster... it was like playing against toddlers.🤦

Mark Harris3 said:I don't even know what logic they're using here... honestly, it's like they drank some magic potion or something, because we basically toyed with them twice last year with almost the exact same roster... 🤦

Did you actually watch them during the tournament? Or did you even bother watching us?

Give me a break.

Patrick Newman5 said:Did you see them at the championships? Did you watch us?

Give me a break.

Have they faced anyone actually tough so far? Sure, they played the French... and basically got walked all over. Everyone else—the Canadians, Mexicans, Russians, Poles, Brazilians—they’re just second or third tier in handball...

We played them last year with almost the exact same roster—we were playing for medals and an Olympic spot—and let me tell you, they were shaking like leaves in a storm. Dead serious.

The key is to play defense like we do against the Spaniards—slow the tempo down, run the clock, and stick to long, methodical possessions without rushing. They aren't exactly giants on the court either, so if Dule and Maminjo play smart, they should be able to tear through them like a pop star through a crowd.

Thanks for nothing.

Does anyone happen to know when the bronze medal game might be scheduled if we end up losing to the Norwegians? I just can't seem to track down that specific information anywhere...

mellowotter4 said:Anyone know when they'd play the bronze medal game if we lose to Norway? I can't find anything about it online somewhere.

http://francehandball-548724.c.cdn77...45464640_o.jpg

Saturday, Jan 28, 8:45 PM.

I’m thinking third place, honestly. Anything higher than that would be a total surprise, I guess.

Walter Hughes53 said:I’m looking at a third-place finish; anything beyond that would be a total shock, I suppose.

I’m already halfway through my celebratory drinks 👋

Fourth place, just pure glitter.

If we get knocked out by the Norwegians, we’re basically dead meat against the Slovaks. I mean, Vuja probably knows our roster better than Babic does at this point.

So yeah, it's either silver or nothing.

Patrick Newman5 said:Fourth place, shiny as hell.

If we get knocked out by the Norwegians, I guess we don't stand a chance against the Slovaks. Vuja knows our roster better than Babic does, honestly.

So, it’s either silver or nothing at all.

I was thinking about this too, but people are still asking stuff, plus I'm thinking maybe the Slovaks could end up playing us since they're fighting for a medal.
We'll find out tomorrow if we're looking at a likely silver or if it's a battle against the Slovaks for bronze. I mean, there's still this tiny spark of hope in me that the Slovaks might actually take down France, and then Vujovic tells them to just go absolutely wild on the court and tear it up.

We outclass the Canadians—I'm certain we take the win if we face them.

That wouldn't be a victory for any Canadian team.

I had no idea these guys were handed a wild card for this World Cup...

Mark Harris3 said:Have they faced anyone stronger so far? Sure, they played the French... and got absolutely dismantled. Everyone else—Canada, Mexico, Russia, Poland, Brazil—they're just second or third tier in handball...

We played them with almost the exact same roster last year, fighting for medals and an Olympic spot... and let me tell you, those guys were shaking like leaves before the slaughter... truly...

The strategy needs to be simple: play defense like we did against the Spanish and slow the tempo down. Focus on long, methodical possessions without rushing. They aren't exactly giants on the court either, so Dule and Maminjo should be able to drive right through them like kids chasing after Severina...

Thank you kindly.

Let's set the record straight.

Have they faced anyone tougher up to this point? Yes, they played the Germans... and got handed their heads on a silver platter. As for the rest—Canada, Mexico, Chile, Belarus, Egypt—they're nothing more than second or third tier in this sport...

We went head-to-head with them last year during the second phase with nearly identical lineups, and we underestimated them. Did we underestimate them? We certainly did.

So, take those delusions about last year's matchups and all that nonsense labeling other teams as "second or third tier" and keep it to yourself.