Magnus Saugstrup had a composed yet buoyant air about him following Denmark’s superb 37:29 win over France on Saturday night.
Early in the contest, it looked as if Denmark would be playing the role of welcome mats for the hosts as they powered into a 9:4 lead but that didn’t last long and soon things began to click.
“We had a tough, tough start but we fought our way back. I actually think we played well in the first 10 minutes or so, but we missed our chances and that hurts against a team like France.
Denmark coach Nikolaj Jacobsen was not shy in making early minor adjustments and the impact was always felt. Saugstrup played a key role at both ends of the court, his tireless work on the line in attack and on transition as well as the centre of defence, where he recorded three steals.
“Niklas Landin comes in and just makes these saves. That makes it very easy for us to launch the fast break. It’s huge to have such trust in our goalkeepers. Our system in the defence has changed a lot and we do what we can to give them the best opportunities to save the shots, but I must say it’s amazing to have so many great keepers by our side.”
Letting the ball do the work
It’s a massive turnaround from January’s EHF EURO final, where Denmark came fell just short in a game where they rarely were allowed to impose their style of play on the French. On Saturday, they appeared to do precisely what they wanted, showing a clear progression and plan to deal with France’s plan to shut them down.
“I think, since the final, we have all been looking for some kind of revenge. We really wanted to win the match in January and I think that mentality brought us here today.
“We let the ball do the work today. Of course, Mathias and Simon played very well but you have Thomas Arnoldsen coming in and doing a good job, Rasmus Lauge comes in and delivers, it shows the width of our team. For me, when you let the ball do the work and play together as a team, then something like this happens.
“We had a long preparation time and are just happy to begin the games.”
The wait is over and Denmark’s men are off to a flyer. Next up is another compelling clash of styles as they face African champions Egypt on Monday at 14:00 CEST.