14.03.2021, 08:15
Netherlands win with buzzer beater

GROUP 5 REVIEW: A tight game saw an amazing end with an in-flight goal courtesy of Luc Steins and Kay Smits giving the Netherlands the last-second win

Prior to throw-off Poland had a one-point lead, and the Netherlands were fighting hard to pass their opponents on the group 5 table. It was a tight match in Wroclaw as neither team was able to break away.

In a nail-biting finish, the Netherlands had a stronghold in goalkeeper Bart Ravensbergen who had a crucial save allowing his team to make a statement in the last seconds of the match. Poland’s side had great defense too, but not that much luck in the attack.

GROUP 5
Poland - Netherlands 26:27 (11:11)

• the lead switched between the teams, none of them trailing by more than one in the first half
•  strong defense on both sides was the culprit for a tight match
•  Luc Steins and Key Smits were the ones keeping the Netherlands in the game
• the biggest lead was in the 35th minute when Poland scored to make it 15:12, but the Netherlands leveled ten minutes later (17:17)
• it was all tied until the last seconds; Bart Ravensbergen's save at the 59:51 mark and the in-flight goal by Kay Smits just one second before the end brought the Netherlands their second win

Closing in style

It was a neck-to-neck match throughout the whole 60 minutes. In a most exciting finish, the Netherlands earned two new points with three names responsible for it. After Adam Morawaski saved the ball and gave Poland an opportunity for a win, on the other side Bart Ravensbergen said no way with another save. Luc Steins had a narrow angle for scoring, but he saw Kay Smits on the other end. It was a perfect assist for an amazing in-flight goal with one second left. What a way to finish the game.

TEXT: EHF / Danijela Vekić