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Niklas Landin was an outstanding man against Sweden - and even parried with his face
Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP
The decision:
Niklas Landin drove the Swedes to despair with his saves in the closing stages of the World Cup finals.
First he fended off against Jim Gottfridson (54th minute), then sensationally against Albin Lagergren (55th).
The Swedes were so frustrated that Gottfridson's next attempt landed in the keeper's face (56th).
Actually a clear red card in handball, but the referees apparently felt sorry for the failing Swedes.
Landin's sporty response followed only a little later.
He held a seven-meter from Hampus Wanne (58th) and another attempt by Gottfridson (59th).
The result:
26:24 (13:13) it was in the end in favor of the Danes, who defended their title from 2019.
Only France had achieved this before, albeit twice.
Read the match report here.
The first half:
The game was a balanced one for a long time.
One of the reasons for this was that Denmark was not making enough of its playful superiority.
Superstar Mikkel Hansen failed with a seven-meter throw from Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Palicka (24th), then Simon Hald Jensen threw a free throw next to the goal (28th).
But it was mainly due to the fact that Sweden played good handball: With quick crosses on the offensive, they opened the Danish cover and thus played the wings.
Tub lurked, and mostly transformed.
With five hits he was the best thrower on his team.
The scene before half-time:
It was almost typical of this game how Sweden missed the opening goal at 1:13 pm as the clock was running out.
Gottfridson failed with a throw at the post, Landin stopped the throw while lying down with his hands up.
When the ball hit the goal, the half-time siren had already sounded.
If anyone was allowed to bear the name of an overpowering being that evening, it was not Gottfridson, but the Danish goalkeeper.
In the end, he had parried 41 percent of the balls on his goal.
An insane amount.
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Outstanding player: Niklas Landin
Photo: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY / REUTERS
The second half:
Denmark's problem, which admittedly some nations would like to have, is its dependence on Hansen.
Every attack goes through the backcourt player, who sometimes closes himself (which resulted in seven goals against Sweden), but just as likes to push through to the circle.
Thanks to the most valuable player in the tournament (MVP), the Danish game generates a tremendous impact, but it also becomes predictable.
The Danes were only able to break away when things got more surprising.
Niclas Holm from den Füchsen Berlin showed in the second round that he, too, can take over a game.
His four goals in five minutes let Denmark slip away to three goals and were something of a preliminary decision.
The after-show party:
No handball celebration without the windy world association president Hassan Moustafa.
The Egyptian had pushed the World Cup in his own country despite the corona crisis and was celebrated after the final - or celebrated himself, given the lack of spectators in the Cairo arena.
In a read speech, he declared the World Cup over and Denmark the world champion.
Moustafa spoke of a "successful symphony" before handing it over to his friend Thomas Bach, IOC President.
He also has a certain interest in ensuring that major events are held during the corona crisis - and then, unsurprisingly, spoke of an "excellent organization" and a successful bubble.
The aftermath:
How successful the handball bubble actually was will only become apparent in the coming days.
On Friday, the German World Cup driver Johannes Golla from SG Flensburg-Handewitt tested positive after his return.
His club manager, Dierk Schmäschke, told the German press agency that it is assumed that Golla was infected in Egypt.
The clubs that warned so much about the World Cup in Corona times will have to pay for any after-effects.
The Bundesliga starts again on February 6th.
The question is how many national players will be there then.
Especially since a large number of the final players in the Bundesliga are under contract.
For the clubs it could feel like a throw in the face in the coming weeks.
Icon: The mirror
