Flash quotes: 11 December
VIENNA - Comments from players and coaches after Norway beat Switzerland 40:24, Denmark beat the Netherlands 30:26 and Germany beat Slovenia 35:16 in main round group II on Wednesday.
SWITZERLAND 24:40 NORWAY
Knut Ove Joa (NOR) – head coach, Switzerland
On the defeat:
“We did a good impression in some parts of the game and that was also the main goal. For us it was important to have the right body language during the game and not look so much up at the scoreboard, to have these small goals that we wanted to do: to take down some of the tempo; also to take down not doing so many technical fouls.
“In the second half we had 15 minutes which we just had one technical foul, and we lost also the second half with five or six or something, so all in all, an OK game.”
On the tournament as a whole:
“Nobody wants to lose games, and we see the performances that we had in the main round, of course we wanted to do it better.
“But if you look at the whole journey from the start, and this amazing thing that happened in Basel, and a dream coming true – one was the first game against Faroe Island which was a lot of pressure from the girls, and I think they managed to do it fantastic. They are young, and having this pressure from so many areas due to this game is so good.
“And then suddenly we are also playing ourselves into the main round. It’s been amazing to be learning and seeing what do we need to work (on) and what do we need to get to the next qualification.”
Tabea Schmid (SUI) – line player
On the defeat:
“It was the fast play like expected. Of course it’s hard to play against a team like Norway as the last game, because our energy level is really low right now.
“I think we should just take the good stuff. We came to a lot of good situations in attack and also in defence when we played six against six, it was OK. They just came with another level of tempo where we couldn’t follow, it was like expected.
“That’s definitely the thing we have to work with in the future, because there’s a big gap between us and the best nation in the world.”
On the EHF EURO as a whole:
“In Basel it was a crazy feeling. There was just such an amazing atmosphere, and I really want to take that with me the most.
“But also when we came here to Vienna, it’s the first time we qualified for the main round. Of course we couldn’t always show what we wanted, because we were also getting tired, but I think there’s so much to learn from that and we should just take the good stuff.”
Thorir Hergeirsson (ISL) – head coach, Norway
On the approach to the game:
“I requested professionalism, always prepare good and take serious every opponent. We played with all our 16 players and they were very focused when on the court. We talked about it before the game, it's important that even if you play only 15 minutes you give 100 per cent. The whole team did good.”
On their tactics:
“Switzerland are different team from Hungary but we worked on some details for us on some period of the game for the semi-finals.”
Kari Brattset Dale (NOR) – line player
On the win against Switzerland:
“It was nice for the whole team to get some minutes and have good feelings which well take to the semi-final.”
On the performance:
“We wanted to use the game to get into the good shape for he Hungary game. All of us had something what we wanted to practice and we wanted to show. It's also a EURO game and we want to show we are strong even if the game is counting or not. We still want to do our best. We don't have a lot of time for trainings between the game so it's also a good chance for that.”
DENMARK 30:26 NETHERLANDS
Jesper Jensen (DEN) – head coach
On qualifying for the semi-finals:
“The job we have been doing in the last two days inside the team has been amazing. The players and the staff really deserves a lot of credit for this performance today. Before the match, we were in a good position, even though we had injuries and people who we had to send home (Sarah Iversen and Althea Reinhardt).
“It's a pretty new team also, so to lose some of the bigger personalities in the group is also a tough, but managed to stay together and I had a good feeling before the game and inside the game. Of course, the goalkeeper (Anna Kristensen) was really strong and the defence was strong and I actually think that the four-goal advantage didn't show the right picture. I think we were the better team today.”
On the performance:
“The attack managed to put together 30 goals that should be enough to win a quarter-final, for us this game was like a quarter-final.
“We are just very happy and spent a lot of care the last two days so we stuck together, and that was the most important thing to me as a as a coach.”
Trine Østergaard (DEN) – right wing
On the key to the win:
“It's hard to say. I think, of course, our goalkeeper Anna (Kristensen) played an amazing game. We kept our heads cool the whole game and kept moving forward every attack and made some good attack. The defence was solid in 60 minutes, so I'm very proud.”
On qualifying for the semi-final:
“I'm very happy. It's our sixth semi-final in a row now in all the competitions (that they have participated in), so I'm of course very happy and I think now we've really shown what we're made of and it's not luck that we did it so many times in a row. It's because of our hard work and our dreams of going to, hopefully, a final."
Helena Elver (DEN) – right back
On her first EHF EURO semi-finals and win:
“I feel great. We did such a good performance and I think we fought the whole game and that shows a really good morale.”
On the game against the Netherlands:
“We always will keep going until the 60th minute is over. We did all we could all game and I think they did a really good job in the first 40 minutes. Also they did a good job the whole game.
“I just think that we could take some things a level up and we were really good at doing more stuff than maybe just a basic one, so that was actually really good today.”
Henrik Signell (SWE) – head coach, Netherlands
On the defeat against Denmark:
“I think performance-wise, I think there are two equal teams and against a good team like Denmark, we need to have a better shooting efficiency. We created enough chances to give us a chance to win, but she (Anna Kristensen) was very good today.”
On the 5/6 placement match against Sweden:
“We still have one more game and it's still a game at the European championship. We want to perform in every game we play. For sure, Sweden will also want to end with victory so we will have to prepare good and give 100 per cent.”
Lois Abbingh (NED) – left back
On the defeat:
“We missed some crucial chances where it was, I think, 19:18, so there we had some really good chances that we missed and then I think you could see the energy was a bit out of the team.
“Anna Kristensen really played amazing and then it makes it really hard because I felt we were playing the right things in attack, but if we missed then you start to doubt yourself. It was really good from her (Kristensen), but I feel bad for us that we didn't reward ourselves more.”
On the 5/6 placement match against Sweden:
“We have to give everything and we will also want to win that game. If we win that game we had a good tournament with many new players in the team. Then we can be satisfied, but right now it's a bit hard.”
SLOVENIA 16:25 GERMANY
Dragan Adžic (MNE) – head coach, Slovenia
On the defeat:
“Germany played very good defence and made it harder for us. Even more, our best player (Tjaša Stanko) is very tired, but important is we gained important experience.”
On his team:
“I am proud of my players. Playing against Germany in their seventh match at the tournament is very hard for your players. The performance and the overall tournament is good for us and our future.”
Ana Abina (SLO) – left back
On the defeat:
“We knew it will be a tough game for us, but no matter the result we just need to be proud. We are young and we just need to go further.”
On the overall performance:
“This is important experience for the whole team. We played with all our heart and we need to be happy on what we showed at this tournament.”
Markus Gaugisch (GER) – head coach
On the win:
“We found a good way to fight this game today. It was a mix of fun and strength against the team which is running a lot.
“But I think we broke their spirit in the beginning. We showed very early that we won't give anything to the opponents. So we are satisfied and we had a good end of this tournament.”
On the EHF EURO:
“It's a roller coaster. When you see all our games, we did our homework against the teams, which are behind us from the last two championships. Every team which is behind us, we win with 10 goals, with seven with now with a lot of goals. So we are satisfied with that, but not satisfied with the way we played against the big teams. I think this is a big step with consistency.
“When we see these games, it's really a rollercoaster. Twenty minutes perfect, 40 minutes very good, then horrible, and then we lose against Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands. So we had to go our way to work hard for this and I hope the girls enjoy playing for Germany and they are hungry to go to the next step.”
Katharina Filter (GER) – goalkeeper
On the win:
“I'm so happy and proud of the whole team. We played really, really good today and also, of course, it's really nice to end the tournament with the win that always will stay in our mind.”
On their performance in the tournament:
“I think we won against those teams that we wanted to win or we knew we had to win. Of course, we also wanted to win against some stronger teams that were maybe in front of us. But, we came closer so there are chances that the next time we can take another chance at it.”
