Euro 2022 Qualification Scenarios (Sunday, 2 May)

Posted on May 2, 2021 by John Ryan

**The projected top four 3rd place teams (If the odds predictions are 100% correct)**

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

Today (Sunday, 2 May) at 1800 CET, qualification for the 2022 European Handball Championships will wrap up with a mad dash of 15 simultaneous matches. Here are those 15 matches, the current handicap odds and a top level summary of what each team needs to do to qualify. For a way more detailed summary including all possibilities check out this earlier posting: Link

All matches can be seen on ehfTV. You might want to get multiple devices and laptops today. I will also try and tweet with timely updates as to the current qualification situation and which matches have become pivotal: Team Handball News on Twitter

Group 1
- France (-12.5) vs Greece
  - This match is very unlikely to effect qualification
Group 2
- Austria (-0.5) vs Bosnia & Herzegovina
  - Austria: If Austria win they finish in 2nd place. If they lose they head to the 3rd place table with 0 points and they start the day with a -29 GD. Mathematically, in the running, but it would probably take some ridiculous blow outs to advance with that high of a -GD. Should they draw vs Bosnia they would take 1 point to the table, but they would need to have several of the swing matches go there way.
  - Bosnia & Herzegovina: If Bosnia beats Austria they will finish in 2nd place. If they lose, they will take 2 points to the 3rd place table and they start the day with a GD of 0. And, that probably is enough to finish 4th or better. To be on the safe side they will be hoping for results in the other groups that send teams to the table with less than 2 points. Those results include:
    - Ukraine beating the Czech Republic
    - N. Macedonia beating Switzerland
    - Montenegro and Romania not ending in a draw
- Germany (-11.5) vs Estonia
  - This match is very unlikely to effect qualification
Group 3
- Czech Republic (-1) vs Ukraine
  - Czech Republic: The Czech Republic is in pretty good shape. If they beat Ukraine they finish 2nd in their group. If they lose to the Ukraine they will finish 3rd, but will have 2 points and will start the day with a +1 GD.
  - Ukraine: Ukraine’s situation is a little more precarious. If they beat the Czech Republic they qualify, but if they lose they enter the table with just 1 point, meaning they will be looking for results in the other groups that result in teams heading to the 3rd place table with 0 points. Poland will likely need 2 of the 3 results below to happen:
    - Bosnia & Herzegovina beating Austria
    - N. Macedonia beating Switzerland
    - Montenegro and Romania not ending in a draw
- Russia (-7.5) vs Faroe Islands
  - This match has no effect on qualification
Group 4
- Portugal (-5.5) vs LithuaniaLithuania might get in with their 2 points from upsetting Iceland. Key word: might. An upset draw or win, however, should put them through
  - Lithuania: If Lithuania loses to Portugal as expected they will have 2 points, but also a pretty high -GD: -22 plus whatever they lose to Portugal by. This means they will be hoping for results from the other groups that send teams to the 3rd place table with less than 2 points. Lithuania will likely need 2 of the 4 results below to happen:
    - Ukraine beating the Czech Republic
    - Bosnia & Herzegovina beating Austria
    - N. Macedonia beating Switzerland
    - Montenegro and Romania not ending in a draw
- Iceland (-10) vs Israel
  - This match is unlikely to effect qualification
Group 5
- Netherlands vs Poland (-0.5)
  - Netherlands: They have qualified. There is no possible way for there to be 4 nations with 3 points in the 3rd place table.
  - Poland: Poland is in pretty good shape as they will head to the table with at least 2 points and will start the day with a -3 GD.
- Slovenia (-9.5) vs Turkey
  - This match has no effect on qualification
Group 6
- Belarus (-8.5) vs Latvia
  - This match is unlikely to effect qualification
- Norway (-12.5) vs Italy
  - This match is unlikely to effect qualification
Group 7
- N. Macedonia vs Switzerland (-2)
  - Switzerland: If Switzerland beat Macedonia they head to the 3rd place table with 2 points and start the day with a -8 GD. 2 points might be enough to qualify and their GD will improve depending on the margin of victory so they might catch up to other teams with 2 points. And, they will also be looking for results in the other groups that send teams to the 3rd place table with less than 2 points. Those results include:
    - Ukraine beating the Czech Republic
    - Bosnia & Herzegovina beating Austria
    - Montenegro and Romania not ending in a draw
- Denmark (-13) vs Finland
  - This match has no effect on qualification
Group 8
- Montenegro (-1.5) vs Romania
  - Montenegro and Romania: Well, this is the wild card situation…
    - If Montenegro wins they take 2nd in the group. If they lose they head to the table with 0 points and a -24 GD (little chance of finishing in the top 4)
    - If Romania wins they take 2nd in the group. If they lose they finish in 4th place and Kosovo takes 3rd, but with 0 points and a -26 GD (little chance of finishing in the top 4)
    - If however, Romania and Montenegro draw Montenegro finishes 2nd and Romania takes 3rd… And, they head to the table with 3 points which will qualify them as well.Will these teams play for a draw? No, that’s tough to manipulate from the first minute of a 60 minute match. And, if either team gets a lead that’s a comfortable way to qualify. That being said, if the match is tied in the waning minutes of the game will there be any incentive to take a risky shot that could turn into an easy fast break for the other team? No… None, whatsoever.
- Sweden (-11.5) vs Kosovo
  - This match is unlikely to effect qualification

The Possible Outcomes (Just the Likely Ones)

Here are the most likely 3rd place teams and the results that would head to the best 3rd place table. (For every single possible outcome: Link)

**Possible 3rd Place Results (The Likely Ones)**

Projected Results (Based Strictly on the Odds)

Taking the odds above as to which teams would win and by how many goals (the handicap was rounded up) these are the teams that would qualify

Teams that qualify by finishing 2nd in their group: Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Montenegro

Teams that will finish in 3rd place and the resulting top 4 teams: Netherlands, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Lithuania

Teams currently in contention that would finish in 4th place: Romania

Of course, this is just one possible outcome of many. And, with 5 matches projected to be close it’s pretty unlikely that this is what will occur. Switzerland could lose to Macedonia, Bosnia could be Austria, etc, etc.

Halftime Projection (To be filled at halftime)

As fast as I can possibly do it, I will update the table at halftime. And, I will try to post updates on Twitter as the matches head to the finish. Key word… Try. It can be very hard to post and watch 5 matches at the same time. And, it goes without saying I’m not infallible. Hopefully, there won’t be any mistakes.

Team Handball News on Twitter: Link

Handball Web Streaming this Week (26 to 29 Apr 2021): Euro 2022 Qualification

Posted on April 26, 2021 by John Ryan

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

Euro 2022 Qualification

Qualification for the Men’s 2022 European Championships will be the focus this week so all the major club leagues are taking the week off. All told, over the course of the next 7 days (26 April to 2 May) there will be 37 qualification matches on ehfTV. 37 matches!

There are 8 qualification groups with 4 teams each and the top 2 nations will qualify from each of these groups. Further, with the European Championships expansion to 24 nations, the 4 best 3rd place nations will also qualify. These 4 teams will be determined by ranking the 3rd place teams from all 8 groups based on the points and goal differential they’ve obtained in Group Play vs the 1st and 2nd place teams in their group. (Results against the 4th place team are thrown out.) As you might expect this means picking off 2 points for a win or 1 point for a draw against the top two teams in your group are likely to be critical for qualification.

2020 Qualification as a Reference Point

The 2020 Championships also had the same qualification format and for reference here’s the 3rd place table that decided the final 4 qualifying teams:

*For Reference: The Last 4 Nations that Qualified for the 2020 Euro*

For 2020 qualification just 1 win vs the top two teams in your group was necessary to be in contention and then Israel was pipped by Ukraine on goal differential. That doesn’t mean this will also be the case in 2022, but it’s a good reference point.

2022 Qualification: Current Standings for Best 3rd Place

**2022 Euro Qualification (Best 3rd Place Standings- Prior to Matches on 27 April)**

As it stands, however, this table is somewhat meaningless because there are several matches to be played and it’s not very clear which teams are even actually likely to finish in 3rd place. Currently, no team in these standings even has a victory against the top 2 teams in their group. This means that just 1 upset victory against a top team might be enough for qualification so almost every team still has a chance to qualify. It also means that it’s way too early to break down all the possible scenarios, but I will be updating this post throughout the week. And, then on Friday, I’ll go through all the scenarios… which could be a challenging mess heading into the final match day on Sunday

Euro 2022 Qualification Matches (All matches can be seen on ehfTV)

Monday
- 2000 CET: Israel (-3) vs Lithuania
  - Israel won 34-28
Tuesday
- 1800 CET: Turkey vs Slovenia (-7.5)
  - Slovenia won 30-22.
- 1900 CET: Greece vs France (-12.5)
  - France won 40-31.
- 1930 CET: Israel vs Iceland (-7.5)
  - Iceland won 30-20.
Wednesday
- 1700 CET: Ukraine (-0.5) vs Czech Republic
  - The Czech Republic won 28-26.
- 1700 CET: Romania vs Sweden (-6.5)
  - Sweden won 31-23.
- 1700 CET: Finland vs N. Macedonia (-5.5)
  - N. Macedonia won 27-23
- 1830 CET: Russia (-10.5) vs Faroe Islands
  - Russia won 31-24.
- 1830 CET: Switzerland vs Denmark (-5.5)
  - Denmark won 30-29..
- 1840 CET: Latvia vs Norway (-12.5)
  - Norway won 28-23.
- 1930 CET: Kosovo vs Montenegro (-3.5)
  - Montenegro won 27-22.
Thursday
- 1400 CET: Greece vs Serbia (-6.5)
  - Greece is all but guaranteed to finish in 3rd place and they likely need an upset vs Serbia or France on Sunday to advance. Serbia beat Greece 31-21 in January.
- 1610 CET: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Germany (-5)
  - Germany has already qualified and Bosnia is in a 3 way fight for 2nd/3rd with Austria and Estonia in Group 2. Germany beat Bosnia 25-21 in November.
- 1800 CET: Turkey vs Netherlands (-3.5)
  - Turkey has been eliminated and will play for pride. With a win the Netherlands will be a step closer to qualification. The Netherlands beat Turkey 27-26 in November.
- 1800 CET: Lithuania vs Iceland (-7.5)
  - Iceland has all but qualified and Lithuania needs an upset for a chance at 3rd place qualification. Iceland destroyed Lithuania 36-20 in November.
- 1815 CET: Norway (-11) vs Latvia
  - Norway has all but qualified and Latvia needs an upset for a chance at 3rd place qualification. Yesterday, they put up a gallant effort before falling to Norway, 28-23.
- 1830 CET: Estonia vs Austria (-2.5)
  - Estonia and Austria are level on 3 points in Group 2. This match might well be an elimination match. Austria beat Estonia 31-28 in November.
- 1900 CET: Italy vs Belarus (-5.5)
  - Belarus has all but qualified and Italy needs an upset for a chance at 3rd place qualification. Belarus beat Italy 32-27 in March.
- 1900 CET: Israel vs Portugal (-6.5)
  - Portugal has all but qualified and Israel needs an upset for a chance at 3rd place qualification. Portugal beat Israel 31-22 in November.
- 2000 CET: Poland vs Slovenia (Picke’em)
  - So far in Group 5 Poland just has 2 victories over already eliminated Turkey. They really need a win here to stay in contention for 2nd place and for 2 points should they finish in 3rd. With a win Slovenia will qualify an should they lose they will play Turkey on Sunday. Slovenia beat Poland 32-29 in March.
Friday
- 1800 CET: Montenegro vs Sweden (-3.5)
  - Sweden has already qualified while Montenegro is still fighting for qualification. An upset win by Montenegro over Sweden would qualify them and make Sunday’s big match vs Romania a friendly for them.
- 2045 CET: Faroe Islands vs Czech Republic (-4.5)
  - The Faroe Islands have been eliminated, but surely would like to get a win on home soil. The Czech Republic has a big match vs Ukraine on Sunday, but this match will have no impact to their qualification chances.

Handball Web Streaming this Weekend (23-25 Apr 2021)

Posted on April 22, 2021 by John Ryan

**USA GK, Pal Merkovszki and his club team, Gyongyos take on Szeged on Sunday**

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

Liga ASOBAL (Spain)
- Leon (-4) vs Huesca (Friday, 1830 CET): Video Link
  - Drew Donlin plays defense and circle runner for Leon.
  - 7th place Leon hosts 4th place Huesca.
Junior Women’s Bundesliga (Germany)
- TV Hannover-Bandstedt vs Buxtehuder SV (Saturday, 1630): Video Link
  - Eden Nesper (#44) is a Right Wing for Hannover
Eredivisie (Netherlands)
- KRAS/Volendam vs Quintus (Saturday, 1900 CET): Video Link
  - Mark Ortega is Volendam’s coach and Alex Binderis (#4) plays circle runner for Volendam
  - Volendam is in 4th place while Quintus is not officially part of the Netherlands League table so the match will not effect the standings: Link
K&H League (Hungary)
- Gyöngyös vs Szeged (-8.5) (Sunday, 1700 CET): Video Link
  - Pal Merkovszki is the #2 GK for Gyongyos
  - 7th place Gyongyos hosts 2nd place and perennial Champions League Club, Szeged.

Other Matches this Weekend

LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Montpellier (-7) vs Tremblay (Saturday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Nimes (-4.5) vs Cesson (Saturday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Ivry vs Aix (-2.5) (Sunday, 1630 CET) Video Link
- Dunkerque (-2.5) vs Chartres (Sunday, 1700 CET) Video Link
Liga ASOBAL (Spain): LaLigaSportsTV
- Aranda vs Barcelona (-14.5) (Saturday, 1600 CET) Video Link
- Cuenca (-3.5) vs Nava (Saturday, 1900 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Week (20 to 22 Apr 2021)

Posted on April 20, 2021 by John Ryan

**Can Valentin Porte and Montpellier hold off Berlin? 1 of 3 great QF matches today on ehfTV**

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

HBL 2 (Germany)
- Dormagen (-3.5) vs Ferndorf (Wednesay, 1930) CET): Link (VPN required; More info; What I use)
  - Ian and Patrick Hueter play for Dormagen.
  - 5th place Dormagen takes on 18th place Ferndorf.

Other Matches this Week

EHF European League ehfTV
- The quarterfinals finish up on Tuesday with 2nd leg matches. Below are the times for those matches along with the 1st leg scores. Remember, the aggregate score for both matches determine who advances. If the aggregate is zero, the next tiebreaker is away goals. And, the next tiebreaker is a penalty shootout to take place immediately after the match. (And, yes that has happened before: Link)
- One thing I find interesting about this competition is that is often a good test as to whether the Germany HBL is indeed the best league in the world. Three German sides entered the competition, three German teams remain and are favored to advance to the Final Four. If indeed that happens it’s pretty much impossible to argue against the HBL not being the best league.
- EHF Preview: Link
- Magdeburg (-6.5) vs Kristianstad (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
  - Magdeburg won the first leg 34-28
- Rhein-Neckar (-4.5) vs Chekovskie (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
  - Chekovskie won the first leg 33-32
  - EHF Preview: Link
- Wisla Plock (-1.5) vs GOG (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
  - GOG won the first leg 30-27
- Berlin (-1.5) vs Montpellier (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
  - Montpellier won the first leg 32-29
  - EHF Preview: Link
LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Cesson vs Chambery (-0.5) (Tuesday, 1900 CET) Video Link
- Toulouse vs Paris S-G (-6.5) (Tuesday, 2000 CET) Video Link
- Nimes (-3.5) vs Dunkerque (Wednesday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Ivry vs Limoges (Thursday, 2000 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Weekend (16-18 Apr 2021)

Posted on April 15, 2021 by John Ryan

**Alex Chan and his club team Cisne face the ultimate challenge: Taking on undefeated Barcelona in Barcelona**

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

Liga ASOBAL (Spain)
- Barcelona (-17.5) vs Cisne (Friday, 1930 CET): Video Link
  - Alex Chan Blanco plays center back for Cisne
  - Cisne’s win over Guadalajara has moved them out of last place, but Friday night they face the ultimate test, taking on the best team in the world, Barcelona in the Palau Blaugrana.
HBL 2 (Germany)
- Dormagen (-3.5) vs EHV Aue (Friday, 1930) CET): Link (VPN required; More info; What I use)
  - Ian and Patrick Hueter play for Dormagen.
  - 5th place Dormagen got a 25-20 road win last week vs 17th place HSG Konstanz. This week they host 9th place Aue in Dormagen
Pro Ligue (France)
- Angers vs Dijon (-5) (Friday, 2030 CET): Video Link
  - Abou Fofana plays left back and defense for Angers
  - 14th place Angers takes on 6th place Dijon. The season is getting short so Angers needs to pick up points anywhere they can find them to avoid relegation.
World Championship Qualification (Europe)
- Slovenia (-6.5) vs Iceland (Saturday, 1730 CET) ehfTV
  - Lovisa Thompson plays left back for Iceland. Although she has no plans to play for the U.S. this is an excellent opportunity to check out the skills of this dual citizen in a big match.
K&H League (Hungary)
- Gyöngyös (-4.5) vs Dabasi (Saturday, 1800 CET): Video Link
  - Pal Merkovszki is the #2 GK for Gyongyos
  - 8th place Gyongyos takes on 12th place Dabasi.
HBF 2 (Germany)
- VfL Waiblingen vs TSV Nord Harrislee (Saturday, 1830): Video Link
  - Sophie Fasold is a GK for Harrislee
  - 7th place Harrislee has lost 4 in a row and takes on 8th place Waiblingen which is just 3 points ahead of them in the standings.
Liga ASOBAL (Spain)
- Anaitasuna vs Leon (-0.5) (Saturday, 2030 CET): Video Link
  - Drew Donlin plays defense and circle runner for Leon.
  - Leon was eliminated by Kristianstad in the EHF European League, but thanks to their Copa Del Rey 2nd place showing they know they’ll have a return ticket to Europe next year. The focus now is building for next year as they continue play in the Liga ASOBAL. Currently in 7th place they take on 9th place Anaitasuna.
Eredivisie (Netherlands)
- HV Hurry-Up vs KRAS/Volendam (Sunday, 1430 CET): Video Link
  - Mark Ortega is Volendam’s coach and Alex Binderis (#4) plays circle runner for Volendam
  - Volendam is in 4th place and Hurry-Up is in 5th place in the 5 team league. I’m thinking Hurry-Up is one of the strangest if not the strangest club name I’ve ever seen.

Other Matches this Weekend

LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Limoges (-3.5) vs Cesson (Friday, 200 CET) Video Link
- Tremblay vs Toulouse (-1.5) (Saturday, 1600 CET) Video Link
- Chartres vs Chambery (Pickem) (Sunday, 1600 CET) Video Link
- Aix (-4) vs Creteil (Sunday, 1700 CET) Video Link
- Istres (-1.5) vs Ivry (Sunday, 1700 CET) Video Link
Liga ASOBAL (Spain): LaLigaSportsTV
- Huesca (-1) vs Granollers (Saturday, 1200 CET) Video Link
- Nava vs Ángel Ximénez (-1.5) (Saturday, 1700 CET) Video Link
- Valladolid (-1) vs Benidorm (Sunday, 1900 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Week (12 to 15 Apr 2021)

Posted on April 12, 2021 by John Ryan

**Hungarian Cup Final: Live Monday at 1945 CET / 1345 US ET**

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

Pro Ligue (France)
- Saran (-6.5) vs Angers (Tuesday, 1900 CET): Video Link
- Abou Fofana plays left back and defense for Angers
- Due to positive COVID test results Angers had to pause competition and training. Their welcome back: A road trip to take on 1st place Saran.

Other Matches this Week

Hungarian Cup Final
- Veszprem (-3.5) vs Pick Szeged (Monday, 1945 CET): Video Link
EHF European League ehfTV
- The quarterfinals start on Tuesday and these teams will be playing 2 matches with the aggregate score for both matches deciding who will advance. These 1st leg matches today are being played at the lower ranked seeds home court so those teams will be looking to try and get a win by as many goals as possible to improve their chances in the 2nd leg next Tuesday.
- One thing I find interesting about this competition is that is often a good test as to whether the Germany HBL is indeed the best league in the world. Three German sides entered the competition, three German teams remain and are favored to advance to the Final Four. If indeed that happens it’s pretty much impossible to argue against the HBL not being the best league.
- EHF Preview: Link
- GOG (-1.5) vs Wisla Plock (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
- Chekovskie vs Rhein-Neckar (-2.5) (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
- Kristianstad vs Magdeburg (-5.5) (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
- Montpellier (-1.5) vs Berlin (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Paris (-10.5) vs Istres (Tuesday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Toulouse (-2.5) vs Cesson (Tuesday, 2000 CET) Video Link
- Tremblay (-0.5) vs Creteil (Wednesday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Chartres vs Aix (-1.5) (Wednesday, 2000 CET) Video Link
Liga ASOBAL (Spain): LaLigaSportsTV
- Barcelona (-11.5) vs Irun (Tuesday, 1800 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Weekend (9-11 Apr 2021)

Posted on April 8, 2021 by John Ryan

**Patrick Hueter and his brother Ian play Friday at 2000 CET / 1400 US ET**

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

HBL 2 (Germany)
- HSG Konstanz vs Dormagen (-1.5) (Friday, 2000) CET): Link (VPN required; More info; What I use)
- Ian and Patrick Hueter play for Dormagen.
- 6th place Dormagen had a disappointing 24-28 home loss last weekend to 13th place Huttenberg. Next up is a road test vs 17th place HSG Konstanz
K&H League Cup (Hungary)
- Gyöngyös vs KK of Csurgó (Saturday, 1700 CET): Video Link
- Pal Merkovszki is the #2 GK for Gyongyos
- This is a quarterfinal cup match and the 2nd of 2 legs. Gyongyos lost the first match 29-25.
HBF 2 (Germany)
- TSV Nord Harrislee vs Zwickau (Saturday, 1730): Video Link
  - Sophie Fasold is a GK for Harrislee
  - 8th place Harrislee has lost 3 in a row. Zwickau are the league leaders with an 18-1-2 record.
Eredivisie (Netherlands)
- Herpertz Bevo HC vs KRAS/Volendam (Saturday, 1900 CET): Video Link
  - Mark Ortega is Volendam’s coach and Alex Binderis (#4) plays circle runner for Volendam
  - Volendam and Herpertz Bevo are level on points in 3rd place in the 5 team league: Link
D2F (France)
- Celles-sur-Belle vs As Cannes Mandelieu (Saturday, 2000 CET): Video Link **Postponed due to positive COVID tests**
  - Nicole Andersen plays defense and left back for Cannes
  - Cannes got a big win last weekend, but faces a tough test vs undefeated pool leaders Celles-Sur-Belle.

Other Matches this Weekend

LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Cesson (-0.5) vs Chartres (Saturday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Montpellier (-6.5) vs Istres (Saturday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Chambery (-3.5) vs Creteil (Saturday, 2000 CET) Video Link
Liga ASOBAL (Spain): LaLigaSportsTV
- Benidorm vs Barcelona (-13.5) (Friday, 1830 CET) Video Link
- Cuenca (-0.5) vs Huesca (Saturday, 1700 CET) Video Link
- Aranda vs Nava (-0.5) (Sunday, 1700 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Week (6 to 8 Apr 2021)

Posted on April 5, 2021 by John Ryan

Who’s the top handball athlete playing for a North American & Caribbean nation today? Arguably, it’s this guy: Cuba’s Reinier Taboada. Watch him play for his club team, Dunkerque on LNH TV this Tuesday at 2000 CET / 1400 US ET

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

K&H League (Hungary)
- Gyöngyös vs Grundfos Tatabánya KC (-3.5) (Wednesday, 1800 CET): Video Link
  - Pal Merkovszki is the #2 GK for Gyongyos
  - 8th place Gyöngyös takes on 7th place Tatabanya. However, it’s a bit misleading as Tatabanya has played 7 fewer matches and they are often seen as the 3rd best club in Hungary after Veszprem and Szeged.

Other Matches this Week

EHF Champions League ehfTV
- The Last 16 playoffs finish up on Wednesday and Thursday with 2nd leg matches. Below are the times for those matches along with the 1st leg scores. Remember, the aggregate score for both matches determine who advances. If the aggregate is zero, the next tiebreaker is away goals. And, the next tiebreaker is a penalty shootout to take place immediately after the match. (And, yes that has happened before: Link)
- EHF Preview: Link
- Kiel (-4.5) vs Szeged (Wednesday, 1845 CET)
  - Kiel won the 1st leg, 33-28
- Flensburg (-13.5) vs Zagreb (Wednesday, 1845) ** Cancelled**
  - Due to Zagreb’s positive COVID tests the EHF determined that it was not possible for Zagreb to form a competitive team. Therefore, Flensburg advances to the quarterfinals where they will play the winner of Aalborg-Porto.
- Aalborg (-2.5) vs Porto (Wednesday, 1845 CET) Video Link
  - Porto won the 1st leg, 32-29 EHF Preview
  - With English language commentary from Tom O’Brannagain
  - A great selection for match of the week as Aalborg is more than capable of making up the 3 goal deficit.
- Kielce (-3.5) vs Nantes (Wednesday, 2045 CET)
  - Kielce won the 1st leg, 25-24
- Veszprem (-7.5) vs Vardar (Thursday, 1845 CET)
  - Veszprem won the 1st leg, 41-27
- HC Meskov Brest (-3.5) vs HC Motor (Thursday, 1845 CET)
  - Motor won the 1st leg, 32-30
  - The other match that may well come down to the wire (in terms of aggregate goals)
- Flensburg vs Zagreb (Thursday, 1845 CET) ** Cancelled**
- Paris S-G (-9.5) vs Celje (Thursday, 2045 CET)
  - Paris won the f1st leg, 37-24
LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Dunkerque vs Nimes (-2.5) (Tuesday, 2000 CET) Video Link
- Chambery (-4) vs Chartres (Wednesday, 2000 CET) Video Link
- Toulouse (-3.5) vs Istres (Wednesday, 2000 CET) Video Link

Liga ASOBAL (Spain): LaLigaSportsTV
- Puerto Sagunto vs Barcelona (-14.5) (Wednesday, 1930 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Weekend (2-4 Apr 2021)

Posted on April 1, 2021 by John Ryan

**Abou Fofana and his club, Angers, face Besançon Friday in a relegation battle at 2000 CET / 1400 US ET**

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

Pro Ligue (France)
- Besançon (-1) vs Angers (Friday, 2000 CET): Video Link
  - Abou Fofana plays left back and defense for Angers
  - It’s a big match for Angers as they are in the relegation zone (13th place) and Besancon is right above them in 12th place. With a win they gain 2 points on Besancon, but if they lose they fall 2 points further behind.
D2F (France)
- As Cannes Mandelieu vs Le Pouzin HB 07 (Saturday, 1800 CET): Video Link
  - Nicole Andersen plays defense and left back for Cannes
  - Yet another relegation battle as 8th place Cannes host 7th place Le Pouzin.
HBL 2 (Germany)
- Dormagen (-3.5) vs Huttenberg (Saturday, 1930) CET): Link (VPN required; More info; What I use)
  - Ian and Patrick Hueter play for Dormagen.
  - 6th place Dormagen had a really impressive 27-19 win earlier this week at 3rd place Lubbecke. Next up is a 14th place Huttenberg
Liga ASOBAL (Spain)
- Nava (-4.5) vs Cisne (Sunday, 1600 CET): Video Link
  - Alex Chan Blanco plays center back for Cisne
  - Cisne is currently in last place and they had a bad loss, a 33-21 defeat to Logrono earlier in the week. Nava is much closer to them in the standing and presents a good bounce back opportunity.

Other Matches this Weekend

EHF Champions League: ehfTV
- Barcelona (-11) vs Elverum (Friday, 1845 CET)
LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Chartres vs Montpellier (-4) (Friday, 2000 CET) Video Link
- Tremblay (-0.5) vs Cesson (Saturday, 2000 CET) Video Link
- Creteil (-1) vs Toulouse (Sunday, 1600 CET) Video Link
- Paris S-G (-7.5) vs Chambery (Sunday, 2000 CET) Video Link
Liga ASOBAL (Spain): LaLigaSportsTV
- Huesca (-2) vs Angel Ximenez (Saturday, 1700 CET) Video Link
- Valladolid (-2) vs Cantabria (Saturday, 1900 CET) Video Link
- Anaitasuna (-0.5) vs Cuenca (Saturday, 2030 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Week (29 Mar to 1 Apr 2021)

Posted on March 28, 2021 by John Ryan

**Drew Donlin and his club, Leon, can be seen on ehfTV both Monday and Tuesday vs Kristianstad**.

For regular updates on when and where handball matches can be streamed online follow Team Handball News on social media: Twitter Facebook Instagram

All times are CET which is 6 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

Pro Ligue (France)
- Angers vs Pontault-Combault (-3.5) (Monday, 2000 CET): Video Link
  - Abou Fofana plays left back and defense for Angers
  - Angers got a nice victory on Saturday to move out of last place in the Pro Ligue. Up next is 2nd place Pontault-Combault.
EHF European League ehfTV
- Kristianstad (-3.5) vs Leon (Monday, 2045 CET) **Kristianstad won 34-27**
- Kristianstad (-2.5) vs Leon (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
  - Drew Donlin plays defense and circle runner for Leon.
  - Leon had 5 members of its staff (players and coaches) test positive for COVID-19 and the 1st leg match in Leon had to be postponed. As a consequence, Leon and Kristianstad will play back to back matches on Monday and Tuesday in Kristianstad with the aggregate score deciding who will advance to the quarterfinals.
  - Leon faces a big challenge. It’s tough enough that both matches have to be played on the road, but it also likely that Leon hasn’t been able to fully practice for the last 10 days or so.
  - UPDATE: Kristianstad won the first leg 34-27. This means Leon has the difficult task of making up 7 goals in the 2nd leg.
Liga ASOBAL (Spain)
- Cisne vs Cangas (-0.5) (Wednesday, 1900 CET): Video Link
  - Alex Chan Blanco plays center back for Cisne
  - Cisne is currently in last place (18th), but this match vs Cangas (16th place) and is a great opportunity to pick up 2 badly needed points.
HBL 2 (Germany)
- Lubbecke (-3.5) vs Dormagen (Wednesday, 1930) CET): Link (VPN required; More info; What I use)
  - Ian and Patrick Hueter play for Dormagen.
  - 6th place Dormagen travels to 3rd place Lubbecke

Other Matches this Week

EHF European League: ehfTV
- The Last 16 playoffs finish up on Tuesday with 2nd leg matches. Below are the times for those matches along with the 1st leg scores. Remember, the aggregate score for both matches determine who advances. If the aggregate is zero, the next tiebreaker is away goals. And, the next tiebreaker is a penalty shootout to take place immediately after the match. (And, yes that has happened before: Link)
- EHF Preview: Link
- Kadetten Schaffhausen vs Montpellier (-3.5) (Tuesday 1700 CET)
  - Montpellier and Schaffhausen played to a 27-27 Draw in the first leg
- Magdeburg (-5.5) vs HC Eurofarm Pelister (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
  - Magdeburg has a commanding lead having won the first leg 32-24
- HC CSKA Moscow vs GOG (-0.5) (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
  - GOG won the first leg 33-31
- Rhein-Neckar Löwen (-6.5) vs RK Nexe (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
  - Rhein-Neckar won the first leg 27-25
- Plock (-4.5) vs Sporting (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
  - Plock won the first leg 29-25
- Nimes (-1.5) vs Chekovskie (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
  - Chekovskie won the the first leg 30-25
  - Arguably, this will be the most interesting match as while Nimes is favored by 1.5 goals they have a 5 goal deficit to make up.
- Füchse Berlin (-6.5) vs Fivers (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
  - Berlin has a commanding lead having won the first leg 35-27
EHF Champions League ehfTV
- Szeged vs Kiel (-1.0) (Wednesday, 1845 CET)
- Nantes vs Kielce (-1.0) (Wednesday, 2045 CET)
  - With English language commentary from Chris O’Reilly
- Vardar vs Veszprem (-4.0) (Thursday, 1845 CET)
- HC Motor (Pickem) vs HC Meskov Brest (Thursday, 1845 CET)
- Zagreb vs Flensburg (Thursday, 1845 CET) **Postponed due to positive COVID tests with Zagreb players**
- Celje vs Paris S-G (-5.5) (Thursday, 2045 CET)
- Porto (-1.5) vs Aalborg (Thursday, 2045 CET)
LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Toulouse (-3.5) vs Tremblay (Wednesday, 1600 CET) Video Link
- AIX (-2.0) vs Chambery (Wednesday, 2000 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Weekend (26-28 Mar 2021)

Posted on March 25, 2021 by John Ryan

**Pal Merkovszki and his club Gyongyos play Friday at 1600 CET / 1100 US ET.**

Would you like to know when and where handball matches can be streamed online? If yes, follow Team Handball News on social media for regular updates: Twitter Facebook Instagram

While the U.S. and Canada have started Daylight Saving Time, Europe doesn’t start it until this Sunday, March 28. Because of this CET will be just hours 5 ahead of US ET on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday it will be back to the usual 6 hours difference. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

K&H League (Hungary)
- Budakalász (-0.5) vs Gyöngyös (Friday, 1600 CET): Video Link
  - Pal Merkovszki is the #2 GK for Gyongyos
  - Gyöngyös got a much needed win last week vs Oroshazi. Now in 8th place in the league they will take on 9th place Budakalasz.
Pro Ligue (France)
- Angers (-0.5) vs Sarrebourg (Friday, 2030 CET): Video Link
  - Abou Fofana plays left back and defense for Angers
  - Angers and Sarrebourg are tied for last place in the league and a win here is important in order to climb out of the relegation zone.
Eredivisie (Netherlands)
- KRAS/Volendam vs Kembit (Saturday, 1630 CET): Video Link
  - Mark Ortega is Volendam’s coach and Alex Binderis (#4) plays circle runner for Volendam
  - The Netherlands recently resumed play and will be playing an abbreviated NL only season. (Normally their top league is combined with Belgium.) Volendam is currently in 3rd place and Kembit is in 2nd place in the 5 team league: Link
Liga ASOBAL (Spain)
- Cisne vs Logrono (-6.5) (Saturday, 1700 CET): Video Link
  - Alex Chan Blanco plays center back for Cisne
  - Cisne is currently in last place and they have a big challenge taking on 4th place Logrono.
D2F (France)
- As Cannes Mandelieu vs Clermont (Saturday, 1800 CET): Video Link
  - Nicole Andersen plays defense and left back for Cannes
  - Last Saturday Cannes had an impressive 32-22 win over Boulillargues. They will look to get another win over 5th place Clermont.
HBF 2 (Germany)
- Herrenberg vs TSV Nord Harrislee (Saturday, 1800): Video Link
  - Sophie Fasold is a GK for Harrislee
  - 7th place Harrislee has lost 2 in a row and they will face a stiff challenge on the road vs 3rd place Herrenberg.
3rd Division (Germany)
- VfL Eintracht Hagen vs HSG Krefeld (Saturday, 1900): Video Link
  - Paul Skorupa (#17) and Domagoj Srsen (#34) play for HSG Krefeld
  - This is a test match as Krefeld has just resumed competition. They will be playing in an abbreviated competition for 3rd division clubs seeking promotion to the HBL 2

Other Matches this Weekend

Super Liga (N Macedonia)
- Vardar vs Eurofarm Pelister (Saturday, 1700 CET) Video Link
HBL (Germany)
- Flensburg vs Kiel (-0.5) (Saturday, 1800 CET) Video Link (VPN may be required; More info; What I use)
LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Cesson-Rennes vs Nantes (-4.5) (Saturday, 1700 CET) Video Link
- Ivry (-1.5) vs Tremblay (Sunday, 1700 CET) Video Link
Liga ASOBAL (Spain): LaLigaSportsTV
- Irun (-4.5) vs Guadalara (Saturday, 1200 CET) Video Link
- Angel Ximenez (-1.5) vs Anaitasuna (Saturday, 1830 CET) Video Link
- Cuenca (-5.5) vs Puerto Sagunto (Saturday, 2000 CET) Video Link

Handball Web Streaming this Week (23-25 Mar 2021)

Posted on March 23, 2021 by John Ryan

**Abou Fofana faces his former teammates tonight in Nancy**

Would you like to know when and where handball matches can be streamed online? If yes, follow Team Handball News on social media for regular updates: Twitter Facebook Instagram

While the U.S. and Canada have started Daylight Saving Time, Europe doesn’t start it until March 28. Because of this CET is currently just 5 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of Bet MGM and/or OddsPortal.

American Athletes in Action

Pro Ligue (France)
- Nancy (-5.5) vs Angers (Tuesday, 2000 CET): Video Link )
  - Abou Fofana plays left back and middle defense for Angers.
  - This is the first month in almost a month for Angers as several matches had to be postponed due to positive COVID cases.
  - Angers is in last place fighting to avoid relegation while Nancy is in 3rd place and seeking promotion to the LIDL Star Ligue.
  - Fofana is no doubt looking forward to this match as he played for Nancy last season.
EHF European League
- Leon vs Kristianstad ***Postponed***
  - Drew Donlin plays defense and circle runner for Leon.
  - Leon has had 5 members of its staff (players and coaches) test positive for COVID-19 and the 1st leg match in Leon had to be postponed. A match has been scheduled for next Tuesday in Kristianstad, but it’s not clear whether the match to have been played in Leon will be made up. If it isn’t the playoff will instead be decided by just the 1 match to be played in Sweden.

Other Matches this Week

EHF European League: ehfTV
- The Last 16 playoffs start today and these teams will be playing 2 matches with the aggregate score for both matches deciding who will advance. These 1st leg matches today are being played at the lower ranked seeds home court so those teams will be looking to try and get a win by as many goals as possible to improve their chances in the 2nd leg next Tuesday. EHF Preview: Link
- Chekovskie (-0.5) vs Nimes (Tuesday, 1700 CET)
- Montpellier (-5.5) vs Kadetten Schaffhausen (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
- RK Nexe vs Rhein-Neckar Löwen (-5.5) (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
- GOG (-2.5) vs HC CSKA (Tuesday, 1845 CET)
- Fivers vs Füchse Berlin (-6.5) (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
- Sporting vs Plock (-1.5) (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
- HC Eurofarm Pelister vs Magdeburg (-4.5) (Tuesday, 2045 CET)
HBL (Germany)
- Kiel (-5.5) vs Leipzig (Wednesday, 1830 CET) Video Link (VPN may be required; More info; What I use)
LIDL Star Ligue (France): LNH TV
- Dunkerque vs Toulouse (-1.5) (Tuesday, 1800 CET) Video Link
- Creteil vs Chartres (Pickem) (Wednesday, 2000 CET) Video Link
- AIX (-4.5) vs Ivry (Wednesday, 2000 CET) Video Link

2020 Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments Preview (Sunday- Day 3)

Posted on March 20, 2021 by John Ryan

How to watch the Olympic Qualification Tournaments

If you live in a country where there is no TV broadcast the matches should be available on the IHF YouTube Channel. Those matches can be accessed here and I will be posting a daily preview with direct links to each match video (see below).
If you live in a country where there is a TV broadcast you may be geo-blocked out of accessing the IHF YouTube Channel. This is often the case even for matches that are not available on YouTube. It is, however, usually possible to watch matches using VPN. More information on how to use VPN; What I use) (Note: I would encourage handball fans to watch matches on TV when possible as usually get a better picture, but if there isn’t a TV broadcast available where you live… what else are you going to do?)
USA Residents: There is no USA TV broadcast and matches should be available on YouTube
Canadian Residents: The CBC will be live streaming the matches with English commentary: Link

Would you like to know when and where handball matches can be streamed online year round? If yes, follow Team Handball News on social media for regular updates: Twitter Facebook Instagram

While the U.S. and Canada have started Daylight Saving Time, Europe doesn’t start it until March 28. Because of this CET is currently 5 hours ahead of US ET. Odds courtesy of 10 Bet.

Tournament 1 Polideportivo Pla de l’Arc, Llíria, Spain)

Argentina vs Spain (-10.5) (Sunday, 1930 CET / 1430 US ET) Video Link
- Sweden beat Argentina by 13 yesterday and has qualified for Tokyo. Spain is also expected to have a big win, but on paper Argentina has a chance. If they can pull off an epic upset and beat Spain they will qualify for the Olympics.

Tournament 2 (Audi Aréna, Győr, Hungary)

Serbia (-13.5) vs Kazakhstan (Sunday, 1730 CET / 1230 US ET) Video Link
- This tournament has been decided and this match will simply determine who meaninglessly finishes in 3rd place.
Hungary vs Russia (-1.5) (Sunday, 2030 CET / 1530 US ET) Video Link
- Includes English Language commentary with Paul Bray
- Hungary and Russia have both qualified for Tokyo, but this match will determine seeding for the Olympic draw.

Tournament 3 (Verde Complex, Podgorica, Montenegro)

Montenegro (-0.5) vs Romania (Sunday, 1600 CET / 1100 US ET) Video Link
- Includes English Language commentary with Paul Bray
- On paper, Romania still has a chance to qualify for Tokyo, but they are in a big goal differential hole behind Montenegro and Norway. To guarantee qualification they have the tall task of beating hosts, Montenegro by 6 goals or more. (See below for scenarios.)
- If Romania lose or win by 4 goals or less they will finish 3rd.
- A Romania victory by exactly 5 goals could result in some interesting scenarios.
  - A 30-25 Romania victory would result in Romania and Montenegro qualifying and Norway staying home. (GF would be ROU: 54; MNE: 53; NOR: 52) Wins of 31-26, 32-27, etc. will have the same result.
  - A 29-24 Romania victory would result in Romania qualifying and Montenegro and Norway drawing lots. GF would be ROU: 53; MNE:52; NOR: 52
  - A 28-23 Romania victory would result in Romania and Norway qualifying and Montenegro staying home. (GF would be ROU: 52; NOR:52; MNE: 51) Wins of 27-22, 26-21, etc., will have the same result.