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MUNICH - Comments from Denmark head coach Nikolaj Jacobsen (DEN), goalkeepers Niklas Landin (DEN) and Emil Nielsen (DEN) and left back Mikkel Hansen (DEN), and Czechia head coach Xavier Sabate after Denmark beat Czechia 23:14 in preliminary round group F at the Olympiahalle München on Thursday.
Nikolaj Jacobsen (DEN) – head coach
On the match:
“It was a tough match. We also knew that. We had a lot of respect for Czech Republic. I thank they are playing some great handball. They are very aggressive in defence. They tried a lot of things, tried to get out of the rhythm out of the game.
“In the second half we had the time to talk about it in the half-time and we find some good solutions. I think our defence was exceptionally good in all 60 minutes.”
Niklas Landin (DEN) – goalkeeper
On Denmark’s struggles in the first half:
“We had our troubles, but that is the way it is in your first game at a major event. In the end it was pretty clear and that is what we hoped for.”
On beating Czechia 23:14:
“Plus nine is not what we had expected because Czechia have an incredibly strong team. We are happy to have the two points and now we go on.”
Mikkel Hansen (DEN) – left back
On the differences between the first and second halves:
“We didn’t get our rhythm right. They stood really high in defence, really aggressive, really offensive. And we missed a lot of big chances in the first half. Throughout the whole game we had a really solid defence.
“Of course, everything is a little bit easier when you get a goalkeeper in the 25 minute who plays with a save percentage of 72, which is amazing.”
On Denmark’s start into the EHF EURO:
“It’s our first game here, we knew that it would be a tough game. They played very aggressive, which we had some difficulties with in the first half. We should have scored 14, 15 times in the first half. But sometimes the other team has also a good goalkeeper and a good defence.”
Emil Nielsen (DEN) – goalkeeper
On his own performance:
“The [Player of the Match] award is great, I am happy with that. For me it was just a game, we have another in two days.
“To be honest, I was really nervous up to this game. It’s my first championship – I was also in Cairo for the World Championship in 2021, but this feels different. It’s great with so many fans in the arena. It was a fun game, it was close in the first half and we managed to close out the game in the second half.”
On the difference between the first and second halves:
“I think we ran a bit more and that helped us. We also found some solutions in attack, which was also very important. But there is still a lot to work on: this first half was not good in attack, we have to be better, more consistent throughout the whole game.”
On opponents Czechia:
“Czechia are not a bad team. They have some great players which I didn’t really know and which surprised me. Their defence is really strong, and they have a good goalkeeper. Be aware, everyone in this tournament.”
Xavier Sabate (ESP) – head coach, Czechia
On the difference between the first and second halves:
“The efficiency in the shooting was the big difference. Our defence was good during all the match. We are more satisfied with the first half than with the second, but in general the defence was really good.
“We tried to put [Matthias] Gidsel out of the game and I think we did that. But the problem was in the shooting in the second half, it was not good enough. And I think [Emil] Nielsen was amazing. It was almost impossible to score a goal.”
On the final result:
“I don’t think that we deserved to lose by nine goals. We wanted to try to compete face-to-face, we got in the first half, but in the second half they made the match in the first 12 minutes.”
On his own team in the first match of the EHF EURO:
“I must congratulate my players for their behaviour, their fight, the team spirit, how they acted on the court. I am satisfied with this, now the most important is to prepare the players for the next match against Portugal.”
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