Aalborg remain optimistic

In spite of the 36-30 defeat at home against Hypo Niederösterreich, Aalborg are still optimistic about their chances in Group B. This was clear as the experienced, 29-year old Danish international Louise Mortensen talked to Eurohandball.com.

Eurohandball.com: After having been nine goals behind at half time, do you feel that your honour was restored by winning the second half?

Louise Mortensen: We have to admit that we started badly being nine goals down at half time. However, I think we improved considerably during the second half, but we can still do much better, than we did against Hypo!

Eurohandball.com: What experiences from the Hypo match, if any, can you use in your coming CL matches?

Louise Mortensen: First of all the really fine flow we had in our attacking play for great parts of the game. We missed too many chances, but at least we managed to produce chances all the time, and our fast breaks also worked fine, I think.

Eurohandball.com: Having lost your first group match, and even at home, inevitably puts you under pressure in the group. How do you see your chances now?

Louise Mortensen: I have to agree with you that we have made things more difficult for ourselves, but there are still many matches left, so we may still reach the first or second position that will secure our access to the main round – and we definitely intend to go on fighting for those positions!

Eurohandball.com: In order to go on from a group, it is usually necessary to win your home matches – or to get some points on away ground! Where can you get the necessary points now?

Louise Mortensen: For instance, we are going to play away against Krim in the coming weekend. Many of us have played there before, and that may turn out to be an advantage to us. We have also seen that Metz do not seem to be as strong at home, as we might have feared, so I really think we have a chance to take some points in those places!

Eurohandball.com: As you said, you are playing away against Krim this coming weekend. The Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana is usually an extremely difficult hall for any away team to play in. What makes you think you can get a point or two there?

Louise Mortensen: We always approach every match with a strong belief that we can win, and that will also be the case in Slovenia, just like in each and every one of our remaining group matches. We have absolutely not given up on our chances to on in the tournament – far from.