It was a tough piece of work, but finally the boys from Slovenia managed
to reach the first international final of a younger age category tournament in
the history of their federation. The Europeans will face defending YOG
champions Egypt on Monday after their hard-earned 33:30 win over Norway in the
semi, which had been decided only in the final stages.
So Norway missed to take revenge for the 23:28 in the 2013 final of the
European Youth Olympic Festival – and will face Qatar in the bronze final on
Monday.
The final Egypt vs. Slovenia is the well-deserved match for gold, as
both teams have an unbeaten record after four wins each.
In the first match of the boys competition on Monday Brazil and Tunisia
face for the second time for the positions 5/6. Brazil had won the first leg
clearly by 38:31.
In the girls’ tournament Russia and Korea go for gold, while Brazil and
Sweden face in the bronze final and Angola vs. China is the pairing in the 5/6
placement match.
Boys’ tournament,
semi-final:
Norway – Slovenia
30:33 (14:13)
The exciting semi-final was open and equal for 58 minutes – and most of
the time the Norwegian boys were close to the final, but in the end the 20
saves of extra-ordinary Slovenian goalkeeper Urh Kastelic were the key to reach
the gold match. Despite 14 saves of their goalkeeper Kristian Saeveras, the
Scandinavians left the court empty-handed, while the celebration of Slovenia
lasted for minutes.
In the first 40 minutes the game was a real roller-coaster ride. Norway
were ahead by 6:3 then down by 7:8, then up again at 13:9, before the
Slovenians scored four consecutive times. Nothing changed after the close
half-time lead of the European runners-ups, who then forged ahead to 22:19 in
minute 40.
But when Rok Cvetko – top scorer of the match by
ten goals – started his engines after his Slovenian side was still down, and
the final decision was close to come. Backed by Cvetko and Kastelic and after a
double strike of Gal Marguc the match was decided at the score of 31:27 three
minutes before the end.