Guarding goal against "bears" with a cap

It is not unusual to see football goalkeepers wearing caps to protect them against the sun, even though this sight is not as common as it once was.

Seeing a handball keeper with a cap, however, is a much more rare sight, for natural reasons.

Nevertheless, this was what former Denmark international Kasper Hvidt had to do, when KIF Kolding lost 27:30 away against Permskie Medvedi in the EHF Cup on Sunday in the first leg of the Round 3 tie between Russian and Danish club.

The sun, which was shining through the highly placed windows in the hall, bothered the 36 year old goalkeeper so much that he had to borrow a cap (pictured right) from the hosts in order to be able to see the shots that came against him.

A cap is usually not something a team packs in the bag when going to an away game, but Perm´s "bears" were able and willing to help out.

“During our warm-up we had noticed that the sun would probably be bothering us in the first half, if we lost the draw, which we did. When the match got started, the fan shop in the lobby, where we could have got a cap, was closed, but fortunately the president of Medvedi had a key and provided a cap for me. I must say that hosts were extremely fair to us,” Kasper Hvidt told eurohandball.com.

It probably comes as no surprise that it was the first time in his long career that Hvidt had to wear a cap during a match, and he admits that it was a bit awkward.

“It was limiting my view a bit, but not nearly as much as the sun did. I think this is emphasised by the fact that the Russians scored 12 goals within the 17 minutes I was playing without a cap, while they only managed to scored twice during the last 13 minutes of the first half, when I was wearing it,” Hvidt explained.

“This is not meant to be some kind of silly excuse, but it is difficult to play handball, when a great part of the players cannot see what is going on in the first half because of the sun.

"That being said, however, we also have to acknowledge that Permskie Mevedi played extremely well. Their goalkeeper did very well, and their number 19 (Yuriy Orlov, ed.) a right handed backcourt player who played on the left as well as on the right back, was also good,” KIF goalkeeper added.

It will come as a big surprise to many, if the ambitious Danish club fails to qualify for the Group Phase of newly formed EHF Cup, but according to the experienced goalkeeper it will not be a disaster.

“Of course it will be a huge disappointment, if we do not qualify, but our main goal for the season, winning the Danish championship, is still within reach. I still think, however, that we have a very good chance to qualify for the Group Phase.

"Do not get me wrong, the second leg will be no easy game, but then the Russians will have the same long trip we had over there, and with a full hall to support us, I think we can solve the task If we cannot, we simply have to realise that we are not good enough to go on in the competition,” Hvidt admitted.

Photo: Sergey Korolev + KIF Kolding