PAl Merkowsky’s dream got here true – 24:22 in opposition to Belgium. “We needed to present that we are able to beat the European workforce,” stated the goalkeeper, “and we did it.” It’s time for us to have a good time.” The Hungarian goalkeeper performs for the American workforce in Team Handball. Born in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 2000, he earns cash in Gyeongsangnam-do as knowledgeable, and likewise has a Hungarian passport. America certified for the World Handball Championship in Poland and Sweden in opposition to Greenland.
Here, Merkovskiy needed to have a good time twice: First, the Americans defeated Morocco and entered the primary spherical. Then they beat Belgium on Monday. It will be referred to as historic: because the first participation in 1964, the Americans have misplaced all 25 video games within the World Cup.
Matches like Chile vs. Saudi Arabia or America vs. Belgium are simple to mock. The label “Europe” affixed to them makes them a formidable opponent solely from an American perspective. But should you ask Sweden’s Robert Hedin, who has coached the Americans since 2018, he has reward for the event help from the IHF World Association: “It’s via video games in opposition to sturdy opponents that we are able to proceed to develop.” Saturday’s main-round recreation in opposition to Denmark in entrance of 12,482 in Malmö was a reward — particularly because the Americans had been launched as defensive opponents at 24:33. This line ought to proceed in 2025 and 2027. The IHF will then permit them to compete in non-qualifying world title bouts to promote American handball for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
This is the second World Cup during which 32 nations will take part. To be sure that the underside eight of the group have greater than three video games to play, they’re competing for locations 25-32 within the “President’s Cup” in Plock from January 18.
The comfort spherical in entrance of the empty seats is the lobbying work of Hasan Mustafa. The president of the Egyptian IHF needs to maintain as many member federations as attainable and provides them useful video games – handball takes place in Africa, South America, the Middle and Middle East, so it shouldn’t be thought-about a purely European sport and threatens the standing of the Olympics. . It continuously sweeps non-European nations to the highest of the world; generally Tunisia, generally South Korea, generally Qatar, now Egypt. However, their success was by no means notably constant.
The improvement has led to the devaluation of continental competitions – the fifth championship from Africa continues to be within the working; on this case it was Algeria. At 37:21 for the German, an appropriate opponent to get within the temper for the primary spherical, however not an actual problem. Such outcomes had been criticized by well-known specialists resembling Luka Sindric (Croatia). “Winning with plus ten targets does not look good for our sport,” Cindrich stated after the 36-24 recreation in opposition to Morocco.
Uruguay’s street to this World Cup was additionally fascinating: solely seven nations competed within the match in Recife. Uruguay suffered heavy losses to Brazil, Argentina and Chile, however beat Bolivia. That was sufficient, as South America is sending 4 participants to the World Cup. Uruguay’s 12-47 loss in opposition to Sweden within the group stage was their heaviest defeat of the match and now represents the absurd aspect of the comeback. The President’s Cup additionally suffered the same setback: Uruguay misplaced 33-34 in opposition to Algeria for thirty first place on Wednesday. With 112 video games, this World Cup has discovered the final and last stage of the rating.
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