Fantastic Faroe Islands, Mittún masterclass & Jacobsen (!) – here are Ola Selbys 3 takes after Faroe Islands beat Montenegro, 37–24.
Fantastic Faroe Islands
What more is there to say about this team and the support they receive from the stands? Hardly anything. The stands were rocking even before the match, and as the Faroe Islands pulled further and further away, it felt as if the expensive arena in Oslo would not only start leaking water (which it apparently does) but also shake itself apart.
The Faroe Islands completely ran over Montenegro, and with that the men’s national team claimed their first-ever victory in a major championship. The women’s team, of course, took their first championship win just a month ago when they defeated Spain at the World Championship. And this was undoubtedly something the fans deserved.
And considering the Faroe Islands’ draw against Switzerland, goal difference could prove decisive in the end. As things stand right now, the Faroes have the advantage there – which means it’s starting to smell like main round play for the small island nation.
Óli Mittún masterclass
In the first half, Óli Mittún was quite simply outstanding. Five goals from five shots and eight assists to go with it. A truly masterful performance from a player who at times plays handball at a level very few others can reach.
And the GOG player was no worse in the second half, finishing with ten goals (not a single missed shot) and eleven assists. Quite simply the kind of performance we almost never get to see.
Pauli Jacobsen – game of his life
He normally plays his club handball in the Danish second division. It certainly didn’t look like that against Montenegro, who admittedly took a few overly honest (and at times foolish and rushed) shots. Let’s be honest – Pauli Jacobsen is no superstar goalkeeper. But tonight, he played like one. There was actually a stretch early in the second half where Jacobsen was sitting at a 50 percent save rate. Where did he end up? Fifteen saves and a 44 percent save percentage.