The Polish handball team at the Rio Olympics strikes for a historic final

By: Petar

Posted: August 19, 2016

Updated: October 6, 2017

Can Bielicki and Wyszomirski lead the Polish handball team at the Rio Olympics to another sensational win?

They hardly pass the preliminary phase in the groups and thanks to the win of Germany over Egypt succeeded to qualify for the quarterfinals. Now, however, they are about to enter in the Olympic final. The Polish handball team made the biggest surprise in the handball quarterfinals at the Rio Olympics by winning over the favorite Croatia, with 27-30.

Noone believed they could classify for the semifinals after their performances in the group, but yet Talant Duyshebaev’s squat did it. As Kiril Lazarov said for the Olympic tournament in Rio, “one match, the quarterfinals can decide everything“. And that’s how it was with the Polish team. They are meeting today Denmark in the semifinal in a match with many uncertainties: a great spectacle for all the handball fans and a real betting festival for of you who like to bet on sports in Brazil!

Poland at Handball Rio 2016 tournament

The Polish team didn’t start well this Olympic tournament losing the opening game against Brazil 32:34 as well as the second match against Germany 32:29. Their victories over Egypt and Sweden, supported by a bit of help from Germany in the last round were the crucial ones for the qualification in the quarterfinals. So in the end, beside their defeat from Slovenia in the 5th round, Poland passed into the quarterfinal.

The game they show in the group phase was far from what was expected from the Polish team. Yet, Talant Duyshebaev’s team seemed to keep the best for last. A sensational game by Karol Bielecki, Krysztof Lijewski and Piotr Wyszomirski send the Croats home and opened the door for a historic success of the Polish team. Bielecki with his incredible 12 goals was shining in the Polish attack, being an absolute enigma for the weak 5-1 defense by the Croats. On the other side the Polish defense made a brilliant job by closing the post in every possible way which resulted with a fantastic game by goalkeeper Wyszomirski, noting 15 saves behind his name.

• Can Duyshebaev lead Poland to the final?

• Karol Bielecki top scorer in the Polish team

• Mikkel Hansen eager for the Olympic final

For the semifinal the expectations of the Polish fans are huge. As internet betting sites in Poland stress, it passed 40 years after the last Olympic medal in handball was won, and they are waiting for this generation to at least repeat that success. Talant Duyshebaev calms the situation by saying that nothing yet has been won and that there is much things to be improved in the game in order to celebrate a victory over Denmark. If this victory happens then it will have a historic dimension, bringing for the first time the men’s Polish handball team in an Olympic final.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ciGotP7Ccd8

Denmark surprisingly easy against Slovenia

But this match is not of historic importance only for Poland. Denmark too is fighting with a rather unpopular tradition. So far they never won an Olympic medal in men’s handball and played the one and only semifinal in Los Angeles in 1984. This generation of Mikkel Hansen and Co. is about to change this tradition.

The Danish team also didn’t show much in the group phase but they manage to win over Slovenia in an unexpectedly easy way. The team improved its game drastically in both, attack and defense. They strengthened the defense with the brothers Toft Hansen in the middle which made it difficult for the Slovenians to connect with their pivot. In attack Morten Olsen had a brilliant evening beside the always fabulous Mikkel Hansen.

Whether Gudmundur Gudmundsson is preparing something new against the Polish we are about to see. His rivalry with Talant Duyshebaev has a long history from the time he was coach of the Rhein-Necker Lowen. But that episode, we rather not mention here.