Anders Mol played big at times against Spain, but admits that they are too uneven in their performances so far in the Olympics.
NORWAY – SPAIN 21-17, 24-22
TOKYO (Nettavisen): Mol had a varied appearance in the opening match against Australia, and annoyed, among other things, by the soft sand.
Against the Spanish duo Adrian Gavira Collado and Pablo Herrera, however, the 24-year-old was occasionally in his ace, and showed especially in the first set why he is considered the world’s best block player.
Monday’s match, however, was also marked by an uneven Norwegian team. In their best moments, the Spanish duo was in reality without a chance, but several simple mistakes made it all a points drama in the second set.
– It’s a bit arrhythmic throughout the match. Then I make a lot of mistakes in a row, and I do not quite know why it happens. It’s hard to play in there, and it’s hard to bet. It was better now than it was on Saturday, so we hope it will be even better on Wednesday. It’s a little frustrating, but at the same time it’s the same for everyone. I have to focus on making less mistakes, Mol admits to the press after the match.
He has now had two matches to get to know the Tokyo sand, but still does not feel one hundred percent comfortable in it.
However, he denies that it worries him.
– I can not think too much about it, and I have to work patiently and hope it gets better and that I become more and more confident in the rhythm of the game. It was a victory today that it was better than on Saturday. We find out a few little things along the way, like that Christian has to put up a little higher so I get even more time to take a stand in the sand and get to the ball, he says to Nettavisen.
Opened well
However, the match started very well for Norway’s captain. After taking his first block point to 2-2, he followed up with big play out the first set, and had scored five block points in the set that ended 21-17 in favor of Norway.
Mol’s reception receptions were also far better than in the opening match, and bewildered Spaniards eventually saw themselves forced to serve against Christian Sørum.
– Anders has had to accept a lot of serve, at the same time as he attacks and blocks a lot. It has been an unfamiliar role for him lately. He jumps around 110 times during the fight, so he loses some of his sharpness, and can not jump as high every time. We have talked about working a lot with that, so that he will have the strength to jump high enough every time, says national team coach Kåre Mol to Nettavisen after seeing his son secure one block point after another.
However, the experienced Spanish duo rose in the second set, and combined with a more passive Norwegian team, it was 11-15 at one point.
The Norwegian team made several simple attacking mistakes in the second set, and Spain was in a brilliant position to force a third set when Mol and Sørum really woke up in the count’s time.
Saved points after referee challenge
Several important points after long ball exchanges sent the Norwegian duo up to 19-19, but an overly long smash from Mol at 19-20 seemed to provide a third set.
Mol chose to challenge the decision, and the replays showed that the ball had just passed a Spanish little finger before it went out.
It gave Norwegian points and a lifeline to decide it all after two sets, and at 22-21 Norway could serve home the victory, but Spain equalized to 22-22.
Norway took the following point, and the match was symptomatically decided with a fantastic block from Mol which ensured 24-22 and a Norwegian victory.
The victory gives two new points before the group final against Russia.
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