DRAMMEN (VG) (Drammen HK-Nærbø 30–27) A new handball adventure is underway in Drammen. But Nærbø can still ruin the final dream.
–
– You notice that this is special and big for the club. Now we are only 60 minutes away, says Drammen shooter Hermann Vildalen to VG.
Kristian Kjelling’s strong team beat Elverum at the end of the victory, but had to work to land a narrow victory on Saturday night. 1204 spectators can cheer for victory, but the final place is by no means secured.
– We will meet them in a “bunker” with 16-1700 spectators in place before the warm-up. We know it will be tough, says Vildalen.
Drammen won the City Cup in a packed Drammenshall in 1996 and was about to follow up with a new victory when they lost in the final of the Challenge Cup in 2007. It was the last international matches of the club legends Glenn Solberg and Frode Hagen.
–If they handle the rematch in Rogaland on May 1, DHK can celebrate its 30th anniversary with its third final in Europe. Nærbø has beaten most in Norwegian handball, but has never won against Drammen.
– The match is alive at least, says Nærbø coach Rune Haugseng.
– We have young boys who have not been in these situations before. I think they act really adult, he says.
– I do not think so much that we win by three goals. I am dissatisfied that we do not get to some things we have prepared, says Drammen coach Kristian Kjelling.
The semi-final of the third-ranked European Cup is historic. For the first time, two Norwegian teams meet at the end of an E-cup. Nærbø has created a handball adventure on Jæren in recent years and got it easy in the quarterfinals when Belarusian Minsk was excluded by the European Handball Federation. Drammen had to work much harder to put Suhr Aarau out.
–The match was even and it was 17-16 to the home team at the break.
But after the break, DHK lifted the defensive game, EC goalkeeper Sander Heieren started to save balls and suddenly Drammen led 21-16.
Led by left-handers Viktor Petersen Norberg (9 goals) and Hermann Vildalen (6 goals), Drammen was in the driver’s seat. But Vegard Bakken Øien saved the ball. Tord Haugseng & co. hung with. Rassin Haugseng scored six and brother Tord five. John Thue and Theodor Svensgard also scored five in Drammenshallen.
But could not prevent DHK victory.
Gøran Sørheim stood for the highlight when he four minutes before the end scored Drammen’s 28th goal on a backhand. The Drammen veteran also put in number 29 while defense chief Espen Gommerud Våg had to see the end from the stands – red card after three two-minute expulsions.
–
