The term moving day is a popular one in the golf world, referring to the third round of an event, just after the halfway point, and often sees players climb their way into contention while others fall away.
Today had a real feeling of moving day in the men’s handball competition at Paris 2024, entering the third batch of preliminary rounds games, the opening four games of the day would see a lot of moving and shaking in the groups and had the potential for a surprise or two.
The opening match didn’t disappoint. A back-and-forth struggle between Norway and Hungary, both sensing something special was possible at these games. Hungary had their noses in front for most of the contest and were given a gift by their opponents with 12 seconds left.
Bence Imre through on goal with a chance to win it, Bergerud denies him and Alexandre Blonz’s loitering down the other end of the court works in his favour as he slots home the winning goal for Norway, making it an unlikely three from three for them. That takes Norway top of group B with two blockbusters against Egypt and Denmark yet to come.
Group favourites falter
Then a hat-trick of group A games, beginning with Croatia vs Germany. Despite the form table favouring the Germans, I mentioned in the latest Handball Hour podcast that Croatia always have the tools to mess with them – and so it proved true once again.
As a young man growing up in Vienna, Ivan Martinovic must love sticking it to Germany and he showed it with a brilliant nine goals, backed up by Domagoj Duvnjak’s five goals and four assists, enough to defeat his former coach Alfred Gislason and end Germany’s unbeaten start.
Spain bounced back from their loss to Sweden, beating an improved Japan in a swashbuckling 37:33 affair, joining the leading pack on four points.
There was room for one more atop this leaderboard as Slovenia and Sweden entered the fray.
The free-flowing attack Sweden showed two days prior was nowhere to be seen as they battled to keep pace with a rejuvenated Slovenia. A pair of second-half red cards for Gottfridsson and Blagotinsek spiced things up for a while but this match was surprisingly anticlimactic as Slovenia practically had this one in the bag by the end of the third quarter, following five consecutive goals by the brilliant Blaz Janc.
Moving day has further complicated things and will get the permutations nerds, this author included, banging away at their calculators in the hours and days to come. Bring on Friday’s Round 4.