Men’s handball world championships – Hungarians knock out Olympic Champions – Highlights

Press release (Offical site of France2017) – Hungary pull off one of a huge shock in their eighth-final in Albertville in south-eastern France. Xavier Sabate’s men send home the Olympic champions with a controlled and mature performance, which saw them hold a lead over Danes from start to finish. This was the first win in a major competition for Hungary over Denmark since 2007. Hungary will now play Norway in the quarter-final on Tuesday (24.01) at 17:00 in Albertville.

Eighth-final:

Hungary vs Denmark 27:25 (13:12), Albertville

Perhaps boost by the return of captain László Nagy to the camp, Hungary came bursting out of the gates, and with five minutes gone, they found themselves 4:1 up. Led by an allusive Máte Lékai and solid Roland Mikler between the posts – who had already saved three of the Dane’s four shots – Hungary were clinically focused in front of a sold-out Albertville arena (6,540).

In the 13th minute, Nagy popped up in the Dane’s half and netted his first goal (6:4) since returning from injury. Young prospect, Ádám Juhász, further punished the Dane’s slow start (7:4), prompting Denmark’s Icelandic-born coach Gudmundur Gudmundsson to call a time-out (14’). Coming back with more urgency in defence, the Danes managed to pull it level though a signature Mikkel Hansen underarm jump-shot (8:8, 21’). It was Hansen (8/13) scoring on one side and the allusive Lekai (6/14 top scorer) assisting on the other who were the real engines for both sides; it stayed level right up until Gábor Ancsin gave Hungary a one-goal half-time lead (13:12).

In the second half, the Hungarians came out with the same intention as the did in the first, establishing a three-goal lead over the lackluster Danes off some silky back court movement finished off by Iman Jamali (19:16, 41’). Roland Mikler, was having a stormer between the Hungarians posts with another four massive saves in the opening period.

Two further goals from Jamali (4/6) and Zsolt Balogh (4/5) put the Hungarian’s four up, forcing another time-out for the Olympic champions (21:17, 45’). Svan (6/7) and Damgaard (3/8) for Denmark suddenly went up in gears putting up a 5:1 run between them, and amazingly the Danes were back level (23:23, 53’).

A rocket underarm shot from Balogh, Gábor Császár showing up to net his first and a save at the other end from Mikler (his 15th in total) – and we were on our way to a sensation (26:24, 29’)! A quick Hansen goal, and his only of the second half, brought it back to a one-goal gap. With only 20 seconds left, the Hungarians were in possession with the Danes pressing high, when Csaszar found himself alone in front of goal, and the Kadetten Schaffhausen man calmly bounced it under Landin to send home one of the hot France 2017 favourites, Denmark (27:25).

Player of the Match awarded by Adidas: Roland MIKLER (HUN)

Highlights

Photo: MTI/EPA/Sebastien Nogier

Source: francehandball2017.com – Press release