13.12.2024, 05:00
Flash quotes: 13 December

FLASH QUOTES: Comments from players and coaches after the Women's EHF EURO 2024 semi-finals and 5/6 placement match on Friday

VIENNA - Comments from players and coaches after Denmark beat France 24:22 and Norway beat Hungary 30:22 in the semi-finals, and Sweden beat the Netherlands 33:32 in the 5/6 placement match on Friday.

FRANCE 22:24 DENMARK

Sebastien Gardillou (FRA) – head coach

On the defeat:

“They were better than us. We were not able to stop their back sometimes. My regret is that we were not able to stop in comeback. We tried to run as this is our core, but it was not this evening. We must accept the defeat.”

On the performance:

“We were better in the shot during the championship, and today we fall against very good (Anna) Kristensen. I know her, and she was good and helped Denmark to be better today. We must rest and organise our spirit to be better for the next game.”

Pauletta Foppa (FRA) – line player

On the defeat against Denmark:

“Denmark played very good in the attack, in defence not so much maybe. But when you lose so many balls and you don't find solutions, and they have a very good goalkeeper, you can't win.”

On what they need to improve:

“We need to give everything in the last game. I want to go home with the medal. We need to play more together in defence and score more easily.”

Grace Zaadi Deuna (FRA) – centre back

On what was missing in the game:

“I think we missed a lot of key moments tonight. We also missed a lot of shots. Their goalkeeper had, I think, 43 per cent saves, 16 saves, and it’s a lot. And in this kind of game it’s very hard to win with those kinds of mistakes. I am very disappointed because we were not able to put all our aggression into it to do so.”

On the expectations regarding the bronze medal match:

“It will be a tough game because Hungary also had a great tournament and they would like to finish it in the proper way, like us. And I think we need to show more than we did tonight. It will be a crazy fight because we will fight for the bronze medal.”

Tamara Horacek (FRA) – centre back

On what was missing in the game:

“I think we were missing some goals, because the goalkeeper (Anna Kristensen) was amazing tonight, like for the whole tournament. There were not many goals tonight and we missed some details to score goals.”

On her expectations for the bronze medal match:

“I want this bronze medal, it will be hard. We need to rest a little bit and it will also be a mental game because it’s hard to step up after a game like this. So I just hope we will be better and Sunday will be a better day for us.”

Jesper Jensen (DEN) – head coach

On the performance against France:

“Our defence was extraordinary today, and also Anna Kristensen, in the second half especially. Even though we missed too many shots in the second half we still managed to win.”

On the victory:

“We knew we had two key moments: to run fast home when we lose the ball, and I think that was magnificent. And when they tried to change the rhythm, we tried to give them answers.

“They went very offensive in the last period, we still managed to pull some great chances, but Laura Glauser is a great goalkeeper and she held us back for a long time.”

On the final against Norway:

“There will be many nerves involving this game on Sunday. It was equal game in the first game in main round, we will put up our best and I think it's our time now.”

Anne Mette Hansen (DEN) – left back

On qualifying for the final:

“I feel very proud. I don't know what happened today. We fought with everything we had and played very smart. We managed to put game good game.”

On the key moment:

“We knew they are in trouble in six-against-six, so we promised each other to run home whole game. We managed that quite well and did not got many easy goals. And Anna (Kristensen) was insane again.”

Rikke Iversen (DEN) – line player

On the key for victory:

“I think it was the effort we put in our concept as a team, in the defence. We know France are a very good attacking team and they were going to run so our game plan was to keep going back into defence and then just take some of their energy out. Because if they were allowed to run, they would score so many easy goals and then they would be a difficult team to meet.”

On her expectations for the final:

“It is going to be a game with two teams who know each other very well. So I think it is going to be a very close game and a tough game and I know that both teams will come and give everything they have for goals. I am looking forward to it, I think it is our turn now and I think we need to find the strategy to take the win this time.”

Anna Kristensen (DEN) – goalkeeper

On the key for their victory:

“I think we did an amazing defence and we got the shots where we wanted today. Of course, that was the key today, but I also think that we were calm in the critical moments of the match and that is great for a team like ours, which is kind of new.”

On the expectations regarding the final:

“Norway are maybe the best team in the world, I hope we change that on Sunday. But we know they are an amazing team so we will do everything. I think we played well against them in the last few matches, but I know we have to change a few things if we want to take the win.”

HUNGARY 22:30 NORWAY

Vlagyimir Golovin (HUN) – head coach

On the defeat against Norway:

“In the first half we managed to stay close to Norway, but we were playing against one of the best teams in the world. Still, we managed to put on the court what we wanted to. In the second half, the difference between two teams started to show.

“The team with more experience won today, and they have so many. We are here for the first time after 12 years, so we are sure that we will use this opportunity to grow in the future.”

On the bronze medal match:

“We still don't know against who we will play, but we will find out soon. Good thing is the atmosphere was amazing today, it was like we are in Debrecen and huge thanks to the fans. We will prepare for the opponent on Sunday and I believe we will perform our best once again.”

Petra Simon (HUN) – centre back

On what was missing in the game:

“Honestly, I think that in the first half we kept up the fast breaks. Our defence was compact and we could come back to two goals at half-time.

“In the second half they dominated so much from the 10th minute, they started to get a bigger gap. I am sad because we wanted to show that we are here in the best four European teams, but we have one more match on Sunday that we want to win and get the bronze medal, and I hope that it will work out for us.”

On how satisfied she is with the team’s performance in the tournament:

“It was said that we have to reach sixth place in this tournament, but we are in the final four and I am really glad that we made it. And I am satisfied with my team’s performance.

“Although today didn’t work out, Norway are on another level and we have to work much more to be on their level. But I think that I and the whole team see the way to be as good a team as Norway, but I am really glad that we are here and we have one more match. As I said, we have to win that.”

Nikolett Tóth (HUN) – centre back

On the defeat:

“We fought until the end, we wanted to win but we knew that Norwegian team is a high-level team. it's hard to play against them. We put 100 per cent to the court, but it wasn't enough. We are looking forward to the next game, we want to win. We have no time to be sad.”

On the atmosphere:

“It’s really good that a lot of people support us. It's nice to have so many of them in Vienna, and it feels like we have one more player on the court.”

Thorir Hergeirsson (ISL) – head coach, Norway  

On reaching the final:

“I love to be here and in this atmosphere. We love to play for medals and this is our big dream, my dream with the team. They work hard and we prepared well and we are enjoying it.

“We had some small problems in the middle of the first half, some injuries, some changes, some suspensions but I think overall, Katrine (Lunde) on the goal and defence and the attack, many players taking the responsibility, it was good.

“I will enjoy this tonight and I will work hard from tomorrow for preparing the team for the final.”

Stine Skogrand (NOR) – right back

On reaching the EHF EURO final:

“It's amazing feeling right now even though we are a bit tired after the game. It was a good semi-final match. We were well prepared and we were good one-against-one.

“I really admire how Hungarians play. They are really fast and strong players. Also, I think this will be good for us for the final.”

On their performance:

“We were happy with the defence in the first half and we knew we have to stick together and keep going. And we did.

“We made a lot of free throws in the second half, and it was harder and harder for Hungary to go through. I also think they eventually gave up and wanted to save some players for the next game. That also made a difference.”

Emilie Hovden (NOR) – right wing

On the key to their win in the semi-final:

“I feel that defence was the key, we were really good in defence and they struggled to score goals when we were in six against six in the defence. Our goalkeepers, again, saved a lot and we can run and play good in attack and get a lot of goals in the end. It’s a good victory.”

On the possible opponents in the final:

“We take what we get, we cannot do anything about it. We will watch the game and be ready if it’s France or Denmark, they are two good teams anyway, so we just prepare for what we get.”

Katrine Lunde (NOR) – goalkeeper

On the key to their win:

“First of all, the amazing atmosphere today. It was really great, when the Hungarians are coming there will always be a lot of noise. And actually I was surprised that there were many Norwegians, so that was really nice.

“Today we had a really good defence, we knew that it would be a physical match for us in defence and we were prepared for this. I think we wanted to rotate a bit in defence so that we have power in the match. You can see especially in the second half that they were a bit more tired than us and we could have some extra goals.”

SWEDEN 33:32 NETHERLANDS

Tomas Axnér (SWE) – head coach

On finishing fifth:

“Amazing feeling of course. We wanted to finish this championship with a victory. Although it didn't mean so much, coming fifth means a lot for us and that we had good results in the last five years, meaning we stayed in the top of European handball.”

On the overall performance:

“I think we struggled a bit with our game. We had some problems with our attack like through whole tournament and we didn't find our way of play until the end. So, today was a step forward to how we want to play. It was a fantastic game to play with a good tempo, but also with a lot of mistakes.”

Jenny Carlson (SWE) – centre back

On winning the 5/6 placement match:

“It was a close game for whole 60 minutes. It was a hard game, but I’m happy with the victory in the end.”

On the EHF EURO as a whole:

“Every one of us wanted to get that medal, and we have been kind of disappointed. But there are four great teams in the semi-finals and you can't expect it's easy to win against them. It's hard but we have to get better next time.”

Henrik Signell (SWE) – head coach, Netherlands

On the defeat:

“It could (have) went on both sides. Today was to Sweden's side. We had the match in our hands and we lost it, in many ways because of our mistakes, especially in defence.”

On the EHF EURO result:

“It's an OK performance. We had some really good performances and some not that good. Overall, I think it's somewhere in between. We need to evaluate and reflect on what we need to improve and what we did good.”

Dione Housheer (NED) – right back

On the defeat against Sweden:

“It was a tough game. It was very physical from both sides. We scored a lot of goals so defences were not so good. It's all about details, we missed some things in the end and lost.”

On their EHF EURO performance:

“I'm proud of the team. We have new constellations (line-ups) for the first time. But we were so close to the semi-finals, and now the fifth place so we are not totally satisfied. But we have to learn from this and come back even stronger.”

TEXT: European Handball Federation