Denmark and Norway benefit from test match series
The female beach handball national teams from Denmark and Norway played no less than six test matches against each other over the past weekend (18/19 May), when both squads held training camps in Randers, the city that will also host the European Beach Handball Championship in July.
Under fine weather conditions – especially on Saturday – the teams got the chance to test the courts at Tronholmen, where the final tournament is going to take place from 9 to 14 July 2013.
Norway had the better results on Saturday, as they opened with a 2:0 win, and after Denmark won the second match 2:1 after shoot-out, the Norwegians finished the day with another 2:0 win.
Sunday, however, the Danes were the far better team, winning all three matches 2:0.
"You always feel a bit insecure, when you are missing three or four experienced players due to injury or pregnancy, like we did, but I think we improved a lot during this training camp, and it is particularly important that we improve and develop fast, considering how little time we have to prepare for the final round," Denmark´s national coach Morten Holmen told eurohandball.com.
This gives a lot of promises ahead of the European championship” Denmark´s national coach Morten Holmen told eurohandball.com.
"Furthermore, it was good for us to test the venue of the final round. With 2,400 spectators around the courts this summer, I am sure it will be a really great event," Holmen added.
"In general, we created many good opportunities, but we missed too many of them, and we generally scored too few goals, However, the training camp in Denmark has given us valuable training and experience which we can take with us. It is important for our girls to play matches against good opposition," Norway´s coach Eskil Berg Andreassen said.
TEXT:
Peter Bruun / ts