News archive 2003, the Danish national team in women's handball

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News archive, 2003:

[December 2003]

World Championship 2003 in Croatia

5. Denmark - Hungary: 19 - 29 (8 - 14)
Absolutely no comments. For the first time in 13 years the European Champions don't even get to the main round. That it was a team of inexperienced reserves and semi-injured players is no excuse. They simply could not manage to do anything and froze in anxiety. A match that could have been won easily.

4. Denmark - Slovenia: 21 - 29 (7 - 15)
The worst performance in decades. Now we've seen it all. Goals (yes, actually a few were made): Ladefoged 5, Daugaard 2, Thomsen 3, Touray 3, Roslyng 3, Hørlykke 2, Petersen 1, Nielsen 1, Brødsgaard 1. What happened? No one knows. Voodoo dolls or body snatchers?

3. Denmark - Ivory Coast: 24 - 21 (10 - 11)
Such an embarrasing experience that I zapped on untill I found a more thrilling show. No comments.

2. Denmark -China: 29 - 20 (16 - 8)
Most remarkable was the fact, that the victory was helped on its way by a ridiculous punishment performed by the Korean trainer against their best card - the world's best player Chao Zhai (who even knows the Danes from playing in the Danish League). Disobedience during training had sent her on the bench for the first 40 minutes, which was enough for the Danes to get ahead. Good first half with strong performance by Rikke Nielsen, goalkeeper Mortensen and a tightly knit defense. The attack still needs months of basic training to just catch a ball. Top scorer Rikke Nielsen with 8.

1. Denmark - Germany: 20 - 20 (8 - 11)
Goals: Rikke Skov 4, Touray 4, Daugaard 4, Camilla Thomsen 3, Brødsgaard 1, Roslyng 1, Fruelund 1, Anne Petersen 2.

Very even match, where the teams know each other well, but where the Germans are more experienced. With the many new young replacement players on the Danish team, there has not been much time to rehearse and get to know each other. As expected, the defense and the keepers were our strongest weapon, whereas the attack was weak. The keepers are therefore left with a big responsability, which they managed very well (when Kariin Mortensen went tired in the second half, match-no-220 veteran Lene Rantala had some very important saves). Little details can mean much in such a match, and lady luck was not on our side in the first half. After 43 min. it was even 14:14 and the match was getting more exhiting. We actually could have won the match with a single goal, had Line Daugaard not missed the last chance on a penalty shot. Rikke Nielsen is a very promising player, whom we only saw for a short while, whereas debutant Anne Petersen seemed to be the weak link in the defense. One point is better than nothing to take with us in the tough group. Let's see, for how long the Danes can hold on.

[November 2003]

Easy victory

The first match against a Brazilian team without its best players (sounds familiar!) was a humiliating walkover, which the Danes won 33-14 (17-5). Good for the team spirit though, to taste victory before the big challenges set in. The results of the second match escaped me, but we won once more.

Team chosen for World Championship 03

Coach Jan Pytlick has chosen to participate in the world championship in Croatia.

1. Lene Rantala, Larvik HK
12. Karin Mortensen, Ikast/Bording EH
16. Rikke Poulsen Schmidt, Slagelse FH
2. Rikke Skov, Viborg HK
7. Christina Roslyng Hansen, KIF Kolding
9. Heidi Johansen, FOX Team Nord
10. Rikke Hørlykke B. Jørgensen, GOG
11. Camilla Thomsen, FCK Håndbold
14. Anne Petersen, Tertnes Handball
15. Katrine Fruelund, Viborg HK
18. Karen Brødsgaard, Viborg HK
19. Line Daugaard, Ikast/Bording EH
And in the last moment: Josephine Touray (Ikast/Bording), Tine Ladefoged (Horsens), Rikke Nielsen (Aalborg), Lise Knudsen (Ikast-Bording)
See the team list for injured players, if you wonder where all your favourites are.

Half the team injured and thus no hope for WC top result

The list of injured players just grows longer and longer, and with just a few weeks to go before the World Championship in Croatia, all hopes of a medal disappears. The list now contains core players like Mette Vestergaard, Kristine Andersen, Lotte Kiærskou, Touray, Ditte Andersen, Trine Jensen and Winnie Mølgaard. Katrine Fruelund is just about ready but still not in top shape. Not much left to work with for trainer Pytlick.

Mette Vestergaard will be replaced by Karen Brødsgaard as captain of the team, which at the moment is in Norway to participate in the Møbelringen Cup against the strong nations Hungary, Russia and Norway. It ended with victory over Russia with 22-21, a lost match against Hungaria 26-29 and 19-19 against Norway, which also ended up as the winner of the Cup.

Instead Pytlick has chosen the more or less unknown players Lise Knudsen (Ikast-Bording), Anne Petersen (Tertnes, Norway), Tine Ladefoged (Horsens) and Rikke Nielsen (Aalborg). The blame for these many injuries can as always be placed with the club teams, who exploit their players, forcing them to play too many matches in order to gain a short-term profit.

[October 2003]

E-Boks Challenge

Many new players for Pytlick to experiment with plus players competing for the same positions. New are Anne Petersen, Henriette Mikkelsen and Rikke Nielsen. Also many of the core players were injured or spared, eg. Kristine Andernsen, Kiærskou and in two matches Fruelund, who has not played for 5 months.. Line Daugaard is sure of her ticket to the Wch and spared completely.

Denmark - Germany: 26 - 26 (13 - 15)
Our first opponent during the WCh. Pytlick tests a lot of players and systems, will it be Roslyng or Mikkelsen on the wing position? Bad defense and unstable performance. Not promising.

Goals: Brødsgaard 3, Vestergaard 3, Roslyng 2, Hørlykke 2, Touray 2, Skov 1, Ditte Andersen 5, Thomsen 3, Rikke Nielsen 3, Katrine Munch 1, Anne Petersen 1

Denmark - Norway 20 - 26 (10 - 15)
Rantala's match no.. 216. Norway sweeps the court like a whirlwind and splits the Danish team into atoms. A good hint when you bet for a coming world champion: put your pocket money on Norway.

Goals: Vestergaard 7, Fruelund 3, Mikkelsen 4, Brødsgaard 1, Hørlykke 2, Touray 2, Munch 1

Denmark - Serbia/Montenegro: 30 - 27 (14 - 15)
Rantala a main reason for victory plus a weaker opponent and a bit more energy from the Danes. The defense is still not good enough and we lack the guidance of the experienced missing players.

Goals: Thomsen 6, Skov 4, Roslyng 8, Hørlykke 4, Vestergaard 4, H. Mikkelsen 1, Anne Petersen 1, R. Mikkelsen 1, H. Johansen 1

[September 2003]

Two test matches against Slovenia

1. match: Denmark - Slovenia: 33 - 24 (19 - 14)

2. match: 24 - 18 (11 - 11)

Score for the first match Saturday: Line Daugaard 6, Lotte Kiærskou 5, Karen Brødsgaard 4, Ditte Andersen 4, Kristina Andersen: 3, Rikke Skov 3, Touray 3, Camilla Thomsen 1, Katrine Munch 2, Hørlykke 1, Roslyng 1, Mette Vestergaard 1.

The Slovenian team did not include its best players on this test match visit, but even so, they do not seem to be a great threat at the coming EC. Also the Danes were not in top shape yet, for example is the defense still not strong enough and we saw too many careless shots. But with some training, both Danes and their counterparts will show much better play. Many things should be tried out, like the 5:1 defense, Rikke Skov and Ditte Andersen in the attack plus the new player Henriette Mikkelsen on the right wing.

Fruelund is still injured, but will soon return, whereas Trine Jensen and Winnie Moelgaard will not be ready for the World Championship.

The Brutto team

1.   Lene Rantala, Larvik
12. Karin Mortensen, Ikast/Bording
16. Rikke Schmidt, Slagelse
2.   Gitte W. Nielsen, FCK Håndbold
3.   Henriette Mikkelsen, Viborg
4.   Ditte Andersen, GOG
5.   Mette Vestergaard, FCK Håndbold
6.   Anette Bonde Christensen, Kolding IF
7.   Christina Roslyng, Kolding IF
8.   Kathrine Munch, Randers
9.   Heidi Johansen, Fox Team Nord
10. Rikke Hørlykke, GOG
11. Camilla Thomsen, FCK Håndbold
13. Lotte Kiærskou, Viborg
14. Lene Thomsen, Kolding IF
15. Rikke Skov, Viborg
17. Kristine Andersen, Ikast/Bording
18. Karen Brødsgaard, Viborg
19. Line Daugaard, Ikast/Bording
21. Josephine Touray, Ikast/Bording

As you can see, there are many surprises. The most positive is the fact that Lene Rantala has chosen to continue until the next Olympic games. However, that pushes Bager Nørgaard back into the development team. Due to the injuries of Trine Jensen, Katrine Fruelund and Winnie Mølgaard, there are some new replacements. Lene Thomsen is just being tested and will not be part of the WCh team - there is a lack of tall backs on the team, who can shoot hard from a distance. Pytlick hopes to have found a future player of that kind.

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