The opening match of the Olympics for the Handball boys began intensely, as they faced Argentine opposition on Saturday afternoon.
Argentina struck hard from the start, leading 3-1, before two quick goals from Kristian Bjørnsen leveled it to 3-3. Norway then took the lead at 6-3, prompting Argentina to call a time-out.
The next three goals were also Norwegian, taking just over eight minutes from Argentina’s third goal until they scored their fourth.
Norway maintained the lead until halftime, but not without drama. Just seconds before the halftime whistle blew in Paris, the Norwegian defense was whistled for a foul, and the referees requested a video check. “Everyone” believed it concerned a strong Petter Øverby, but it turned out they focused on Sander Sagosen’s involvement in the same situation. They decided on a direct red card for Sagosen, and TVNorge commentator Ole Gustav Gjekstad suggested that Petter Øverby now owed Sagosen a soda after the match…
Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
With a seven-goal lead at halftime, Norway could head to the locker room with somewhat more relaxed shoulders. But as coach Martin Boquist said, it is important not to take the victory for granted at halftime with a comfortable lead…
In the second half, several of Norway’s players made their Olympic debuts, including Sebastian Hein Barthold, who scored his first goal shortly after entering the game.
Jonas Wille was pleased in an interview with TVNorge after the match:
– It’s important to start with a win here; Argentina is difficult to play against and plays with immense enthusiasm and “pressure.” I’m particularly satisfied with the first half; the second half was a bit more up and down, but overall good.
Sander Sagosen was done showering and very happy with TVNorge:
– The atmosphere here is fantastic, something entirely different from Tokyo, and it’s incredibly fun to be underway – finally! It was important to get two points from this match; we knew that beforehand. I don’t have a good explanation for the red card; I think the referees overestimate the strength of my arms, but I need to see it on video to understand the situation properly.
The Handball boys’ next opponent is host nation France, and that match will take place on Monday, July 29, at 19:00.
MATCH FACTS
OL – men – group B
Norway – Argentina 36-31 (22-15)
South Paris Arena, Paris, France
Top scorer Norway: Tobias Schjølberg Grøndal – 8 goals
Top scorer Argentina: Diego Esteban Simonet – 5 goals
Suspensions: Norway – one direct red card, Argentina 3x2min