Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Wednesday, 11 Dec)

Posted on December 11, 2019 by John Ryan

Germany will meet Norway in what might be a winner take all showdown for a semifinal berth.

Main Round Play conclude for both Groups today with 6 matches. Who will make the semifinals? Who will get a slot in an Olympic Qualification Tourney. Two of the matches are available in the U.S. on the NBC Olympic Channel. The rest are available on the IHF Website.

NBC TV Schedule: Link
How to watch the matches not on NBC: Link
IHF Daily Preview: Link

Wednesday, 11 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
Odds courtesy of Unibet

Main Group I

Note: Main Group I is pretty complicated in terms of projecting semifinal and Olympic Tournament qualification. So complicated, it got it’s own separate article: Link

15:00 S Korea vs Netherlands (-5)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Any chance the Netherlands has of qualifying for the semifinals starts with beating S Korea first. They will need some help to slip into second place, but it’s possible. South Korea is simply playing for pride. A bit of a disappointing end for a team that did so well in the preliminary round.

18:00 Denmark (-2.5) vs Serbia
– IHF Web Stream Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Serbia has an outsider’s chance of getting to the semifinals while Denmark can finish no better than 3rd. But, what’s on the line for sure: A chance at Olympic Qualification. The winner will at least finish 4th where they would play in the 7th place match for entry in an Olympic Qualification Tournament; the loser will do no better than 5th and their Olympic dreams are over.

20:30 Norway (-3.5) vs Germany
– IHF Web Stream Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

There are multiple scenarios at play, but by the time this match starts only three scenarios will be left. The most entertaining scenarios: Winner qualifies; Loser takes 3rd. I won’t get in to all the possibilities. It would take too long. For all the possibilities check out this Link

Main Round Group II

15:00 Spain vs Russia (-2.5) (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
– Match airs live in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 1:00 AM (US ET)
– Olympic Channel Video Link (No VPN Required)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Russia is undefeated and has already qualified for the semifinals. With a win or a draw they will finish 1st. Spain can take 1st with a win and will take 2nd with a draw. They can also still qualify for the semifinals even if they lose, but it will depend on what Sweden does. If Sweden wins they would be level on points with Spain. And, since Spain and Sweden tied the next tie breaker will be GD in all matches. Spain is currently at +18 and and Sweden is at +12, so the combination of Spain’s loss and a Sweden win will need to be greater than 6 goals. And, then if it’s 6 goals exactly the next tie breaker is total goals scored. And, if that is tied… well then they will draw lots.

18:00 Japan (-2) vs Romania
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Not a whole lot to say about this match. Both teams are winless in Main Round play and this match is just for pride.

20:30 Sweden (-1) vs Montenegro (With commentary from Paul Bray)
– Match airs live in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 6:30 AM (US ET)
– Olympic Channel Video Link (No VPN Required)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

As previously discussed, Sweden may have a chance to pass Spain on goal differential and qualify for the semifinals. But, they likely will have their hands full just beating Montenegro. Regardless, the outcome of this match will determine 3rd and 4th place which actually means something. The 3rd place team will have a guaranteed entry into one of the Olympic Qualification tournaments, whereas 4th place in the group will face off against the other 4th place team in Group 1 for 7th place overall and the last slot for the Olympic Qualification tournaments.

Main Round Group I Scenarios

Posted on December 10, 2019 by John Ryan

Capturing all the possible scenarios for Main Round Group I will make your head spin. Here’s one problematic scenario that could very well happen.

Main Round action concludes tomorrow (Wednesday) at the 2019 IHF Women’s World Championships. And, with a bunched up standings in (Group I) the possible scenarios are about as complicated as it can get.

Main Round Group I (heading into the final day)

Four teams (Norway, Germany, Netherlands and Serbia) can finish 1st or 2nd and qualify for the semifinals. And, each of these four teams could also fail to qualify.

Adding further complexity, is that there is more to play for than a semifinal berth since final placement at these World Championship will also factor into 2020 Olympic Qualification. The winner automatically qualifies for the 2020 Olympics while places 2-7 will get an entry into an Olympic Qualification tournament.

So placing 3rd in the group will earn an entry and placing 4th will mean playing for an entry in the 7th place match. Norway can finish no worse than 3rd and Germany can finish no worse than 4th. The Netherlands, Serbia and Denmark, however, could find themselves finishing 5th and out of that possibility. (Note: S. Korea as the Asian Champion has already qualified for Tokyo, but they can still play a spoiler role.)

All the Scenarios

With 3 matches to play and 3 possible outcomes (win, lose or draw) for each match that means there are 27 top level scenarios heading into Wednesday’s play. Those scenarios are displayed below. For each scenario the top level standings (points only) is displayed and where teams are level on points, I’ve applied the appropriate tiebreakers. (Those tiebreakers are displayed at the very bottom of this post.) For the most part those tiebreaker standings are known, but there are a few where the final GD might apply, although it is unlikely. (Those scenarios have an asterisk in them.)

How to use the charts: The Netherlands and S. Korea will play the first match. There are 9 scenarios associated with each outcome (win, lose, draw) of that match. So, after the outcome of that match is known, 2 of the charts below will no longer apply, leaving only 1 chart with 9 possibilities. Serbia and Denmark will then play. After that match is completed there were only be 3 scenarios left for the final match between Germany and Norway.

If the Netherlands beats S. Korea

If S. Korea beats the Netherlands

If the Netherlands and S. Korea play to a draw

How these scenarios apply to each nation

Norway: If Norway wins or draws vs Germany they will finish 1st in the Group. If Norway loses to Germany they will finish 2nd or 3rd. 3rd if the Netherlands beats S. Korea. 2nd if the Netherlands loses or draws with S. Korea.

Germany: If Germany beats Norway they will finish 1st in the Group. If Germany loses or draws vs Norway they will finish 2nd, 3rd or 4th. I won’t go in to detail here. (That’s what the chart is for)

Netherlands: If the Netherlands beats S. Korea they will likely finish 2nd in the Group. The only thing that could possibly slip them up is a draw between Germany and Norway. If they play to a draw with S. Korea there is one scenario where they still could capture 2nd and they can finish no worse than 4th. If they lose to S. Korea they will finish 4th, 5th and 6th depending on the outcomes of other matches.

Serbia: Serbia has an outside chance of finishing 2nd in the group. In order to finish 2nd, they first need the Netherlands to lose or draw vs S. Korea. Then, Serbia needs to beat Denmark. And, then finally, they need Norway to beat or play to a draw vs Germany. In terms of Olympic Tournament qualification a Serbian win or draw vs Denmark guarantees a group finish of 4th or better. A loss, however, means either a 5th or 6th place finish.

Denmark: Denmark cannot finish 1st or 2nd so their match vs Serbia is just for Olympic qualification. A win will guarantee a 3rd or 4th place finish. A loss means 5th or 6th. A draw might mean a 4th place finish, but only if S. Korea can beat the Netherlands.

S. Korea: S. Korea has already qualified for the 2020 Olympics and can finish no higher than 4th. But, they will be looking to win and should they do so they would likely put a damper in the Netherlands Olympic plans.

A Problematic Scenario (That’s Quite Possible, Too)

Should the Netherlands first beat S. Korea and then Denmark beats Serbia in the day’s second match these will be the 3 possible outcomes heading into the Germany – Norway match.

If one just looks at “win” outcomes Germany and Norway are essentially playing an elimination match. Winner takes 1st and qualifies for the semifinal. The loser finishes 3rd. But, should Germany and Norway play to a draw… both teams go through and the Netherlands finishes 3rd. Now, I highly doubt that either team will start out playing for a draw. For sure, both teams would probably prefer to finish 1st in the group and possibly avoid Russia. But, in the closing minutes with the score tied might this reality change. It very well could. An aggressive attack might win the match, but a turnover and a fast break goal would cost a semifinal berth.

Tiebreakers for Teams Level on Points

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Tuesday, 10 Dec)

Posted on December 10, 2019 by John Ryan

Montenegro takes on Russia in Main Round Group II action.

Main Round Play continues with Group II now playing 3 matches while Group I has a rest day. Two of these matches are available in the U.S. on the NBC Olympic Channel.

NBC TV Schedule: Link
How to watch the matches not on NBC: Link
IHF Daily Preview: Link

Tuesday, 10 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
odds courtesy of 10bet

Main Round Group II

15:00 Montenegro vs Russia (-3)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Russia has been the most impressive team of the tournament so far, with no team coming closer than 8 goals. Montenegro has also played well with their only loss being to the other undefeated team in the group, Spain.

18:00 Japan vs Spain (-5.5) (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
– Match airs live in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 4:00 AM (US ET)
– Olympic Channel Video Link (No VPN Required)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

On Monday Spain appeared to be on track for an easy victory against Sweden, leading by 8 goals in the 2nd half. Somehow they let that lead slip away ending the match with a 28-28 draw. They will look to rebound from that disappointing draw with a win today against Japan. The hosts have played competitively, but have yet to get a signature win against a European side at this tournament

20:30 Sweden (-5) vs Romania (With commentary from Paul Bray)
– Match airs live in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 6:30 AM (US ET)
– Olympic Channel Video Link (No VPN Required)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Sweden salvaged a draw yesterday to keep their semifinal hopes alive. They take on Romania which has struggled and at this point is playing for a 4th place finish and entry into an Olympic Qualification Tournament.

Olympic Channel Live Stream: Link

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Monday, 9 Dec)

Posted on December 9, 2019 by John Ryan

S Korea looks for a much needed win vs Norway.

Main Round Play continues with Group I playing 3 matches while Group II takes the day off. Two of these matches are available in the U.S. on the NBC Olympic Channel.

NBC TV Schedule: Link
How to watch the matches not on NBC: Link
IHF Daily Preview: Link

Monday, 9 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
odds courtesy of Bwin

Main Round Group I

15:00 Serbia vs Germany (-2)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Germany looks to solidify their chances for the semifinals while Serbia hopes to make it two wins in a row after after their victory over S. Korea yesterday. Making the semifinals for Serbia, will require quite a bit of help though so Serbia may more realistically be shooting for 4th in the group to qualify for an Olympic Qualification Tournament.

18:00 Denmark vs Netherlands (-1) (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
– Match airs live in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 4:00 AM (US ET)
– Olympic Channel Web Stream Video Link (No VPN Required in U.S.)
– IHF Web Stream Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Both teams lost yesterday and will be looking to rebound with a win. The Netherlands will still make the semifinals if they win their next two matches. Denmark, like Serbia is probably playing for 4th place now.

20:30 Norway (-3.5) vs South Korea (With commentary from Paul Bray)
– Match airs live in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 6:30 AM (US ET)
– Olympic Channel Web Stream Video Link (No VPN Required in U.S.)
– IHF Web Stream Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Norway got off to a slow start yesterday, but came back for a key win over Denmark. A win today sets up a possible showdown match vs Germany on Wednesday for a semifinal slot. S Korea suffered their first lost of the tournament yesterday vs Serbia. Any hopes of making the semifinals will probably mean beating Norway today and then knocking off the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Olympic Channel Live Stream: Link

President’s Cup

The President’s Cup finishes today with 12 teams playing for 13th through 23rd place.

13th Place
18:00 Hungary vs France (-3.5) Video Link

15th Place
15:00 Angola (-4) vs Argentina Video Link

17th Place
18:00 Sengal vs Brazil (-5.5) Video Link

19th Place
15:00 Slovenia (-10) vs DR Congo Video Link

21st Place
12:30 Cuba (-2) vs Kazakhstan Video Link

23rd Place
12:30 Australia vs China (-12.5) Video Link

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Sunday, 8 Dec)

Posted on December 7, 2019 by John Ryan

Norway takes on Denmark in their first Main Round match. Watch it live on the NBC Olympic Channel at 6:30 AM (US ET)

Preliminary Group Play is over and the top 3 teams from Groups A and B have combined to form Main Round Group I and Groups C and D have combined to form Main Round Group II. The top 2 teams from each group will make the semifinals.

All of the teams that didn’t advance to the Main Round have been vanquished to consolation play in the President’s Cup.

There are also more viewing options in the United States as the NBC Olympic Channel will now be airing two matches on TV each day. And, this is really good news: The schedule has changed with more live matches and without truncation to one hour.
NBC TV Schedule: Link

How to watch the matches not on NBC: Link

IHF Daily Preview: Link

Sunday, 8 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
odds courtesy of Bwin

Main Round Group I

15:00 Serbia vs S Korea (-1.5) Video Link

18:00 Germany vs Netherlands (-2.5) (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
<Will air in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 4:30 PM (US ET)>
– Olympic Channel Video Link (No VPN Required)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

20:30 Norway (-2.5) vs Denmark Video Link (With commentary from Paul Bray)
<LIVE in the U.S on the NBC Olympic Channel at 6:30 AM (US ET)>
– Olympic Channel Video Link (No VPN Required)
– IHF Website Video Link (VPN Required for some countries)

Olympic Channel Live Stream: Link

This group starts with a bang as the Netherlands takes on Germany in a battle of Group leaders. Norway takes on Denmark in the other NBC match. Should be interesting to see if Norway can bounce back from their loss to the Netherlands.

Main Round Group II Standings (Preliminary Group Games Carried Through)

15:00 Romania vs Russia (-6) Video Link
18:00 Montenegro (-3.5) vs Japan Video Link
20:30 Spain (-1.5) vs Sweden Video Link

Russia should have no problem with a Romanian side that just squeaked into the Main Round. Hosts Japan take on Montenegro and Sweden will try to draw level on points with Spain.

Not a whole lot to say regarding the President’s Cup other than it will be interesting to see how some of the continents outside of Europe fare against each other. And, that it’s really something to see the defending champions, France playing for 13th.

President’s Cup (13th – 16th)

12:30 Angola vs France (-6) Video Link
12:30 Hungary (-7) vs Argentina Video Link

President’s Cup (17th – 20th)

15:00 Slovenia (-1.5) vs Brazil Video Link
18:00 Senegal (-5.5) vs DR Congo Video Link

President’s Cup (21st – 24th)

10:00 Cuba (-10) vs Australia Video Link
12:30 Kazakhstan vs China (-2.5) Video Link

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Friday, 6 Dec)

Posted on December 6, 2019 by John Ryan

Hungary vs Romania: 1 of 3 “elimination” matches today in the last round of Preliminary Group play.

It’s the last match day for all four Preliminary Round groups at the 2019 IHF Women’s World Handball Championships in Japan. There are 3 types of matches today: Matches to determine who advances to the main round; Matches where the result will carry through to the main round; and matches simply for pride.

Note: 3 teams advance from each group and the matches between those teams carry through to the Main Round. Groups A and B will form Main Round Group 1 and Groups C and D will form Main Round Group 2.

Below are the times, odds and video links for all the matches.

Remember, if you find yourself geoblocked out of the IHF web stream this article has some tips that should help you find a way to watch: Link

Here’s the IHF preview for the day’s competition: Link

Friday, 6 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
Odds courtesy of William Hill

Note: Saturday is a rest day, so if you’re busy on Friday, you might want to consider saving some of these matches for viewing on Saturday.

Group A

15:00 Serbia (-1) vs Slovenia Video Link
18:00 Angola (-12.5) vs Cuba Video Link
20:30 Netherlands vs Norway (-2.5) Video Link

Serbia and Slovenia will battle to see which side will advance to the Main Round. Angola and Cuba will play for pride. While the Norway – Netherlands result will carry through to the main round.

Side note: The Netherlands will be hoping for a Serbia win since they lost to Slovenia earlier in the week and would prefer to have the 2 points from their victory over Serbia

Group B

15:00 Australia vs Brazil (-21.5) Video Link
19:00 Germany vs S Korea (-1) Video Link
20:30 Denmark vs France (-2.5) Video Link

Australia and Brazil will play for pride. Germany and S. Korea will look to get 2 points for the Main Round. While Denmark and France will play an elimination game to see who advances

Side Note: S Korea would prefer to see France win since they would pick up 2 points, vice 1 point since they tied Denmark. Germany would prefer a Denmark victory since they beat Denmark, but lost to France.

Group C

15:00 Senegal (-5.5) vs Kazakhstan Video Link
15:00 Spain (-2) vs Montenegro Video Link
19:00 Romania vs Hungary (-2.5) Video Link

Senegal and Kazakhstan play for pride. Spain and Montenegro play for 2 points in the Main Round. Hungary and Romania play an elimination game.

Group D

15:00 Japan (-6.5) vs China Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
18:00 DR Congo vs Argentina (-4) Video Link
20:30 Russia vs Sweden (-3.5) Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)

Only one match matters in Group D. Russia and Sweden will play for 2 points in the Main Round.

How to Watch Every Match of the IHF Women’s World Championships (Live and On Demand)

Posted on December 5, 2019 by John Ryan

Want to watch the IHF Women’s World Championships? You’ve got options. NBC starting on Sunday. But, what if you want to watch other matches? Like today’s Serbia-Netherlands clash? Or, tomorrow’s elimination game between Denmark and France?

Starting this Sunday the NBC will be airing two matches on its NBC Olympic Channel every day for the remainder of the competition. This is unquestionably a good thing. Any time handball is broadcast on TV in the U.S. it exposes new fans to the sport.

But, for the already dedicated handball fans it’s actually kind of a bummer. Why? Because since the U.S. now has a TV contract we’re now geo-blocked out of the free IHF Web Stream.

Yes, instead of watching every single match like we’re used to we’re now limited to what NBC decides to show.

Fortunately, there’s a way around that and because I keep getting questions about how I am watching all of those matches here is an in-depth tutorial on:

How to Watch Every Match of the IHF Women’s World Championships (Live and On Demand)

Step 1) Determine if you are Geo-Blocked

What’s a Geo-Block? Well, this is a Geo-Block:

Essentially, what happens is that the IHF has blocked your computer’s IP address from accessing their online web stream. Most likely it is because your country has a TV contract for the handball event in question. For the World Championships the IHF has a contract in the U.S. with NBC. Hence, the Geo-Block for everyone in the U.S.

Step 2) If you are Geo-blocked, Get a VPN service

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and essentially it’s a way to access websites from an IP Address associated with another country. There are multiple companies that provide this service. I use Nord VPN and it costs $3.49/month. And, I can tell you without a doubt it’s the best money I’ve ever spent as a handball fan. I don’t use it to just watch the World Championships. I use it to watch the Champions League, German Bundesliga and Spanish Asobal league matches as well. Honestly, I don’t know why I didn’t get a VPN service years ago… except I do know why.

I was hesitant due to some misconceptions regarding risk. As in, I don’t want to download some crazy software that’s going to mess up my computer. My mistake was to think VPN was just like the crazy fly-by-night websites that pop up when you google things like “France-Germany Handball web-stream”. If you’re a handball fan you probably know what I’m talking about and maybe you’ve made the mistake of downloading a “free” video player.

DON’T DO THAT… There’s a good chance you are going to regret it. I know have… Typically the so called video player sucks and the video if it does show up is barely watchable.

But, do go to a website like NORD VPN (there’s a banner ad in the top right hand corner of the Team Handball News website) and follow the instructions there.

What you end up downloading is an extension for your web browsers. For Nord VPN there’s an app that you click on where you can select a country to login from. I’ve been using Canada since it’s close by and they are not geo-blocked.

Now connected to Canada… And good to go.

If you don’t want to use Nord VPN there are other options including Hola VPN. This is actually a “free” service, but not a VPN in the traditional sense. It’s a peer to peer service and you essentially agree to let users in another country use your IP Address. There are some risks with doing that, but I know that “free” is a big selling point.

Step 3) Resist the urge to wake up in the morning and go through your social media feeds.

I know we live in an instant gratification world and habits are habits. But, while one can still enjoy watching a match if you already know how it ends, it’s just not the same as not knowing.

Not sure about that? Try this experiment: Tape this year’s Super Bowl; wait 4 hours; then check your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds; then start watching the game from the opening kickoff. Can you even imagine doing such a crazy thing? Just imagine if that Super Bowl had been the Patriots-Falcons match featuring the “comeback”. So, if you wouldn’t dream of doing this for the Super Bowl, why on earth would you do it for a compelling handball match?

Step 4) Go to the Team Handball News website for the daily “spoiler free” preview.

The location for the Women’s World Championships (Japan) is pretty much perfect for delayed match viewing. This is because most of the matches are taking place while we are sleeping. However, the IHF Competition website (which is actually a pretty good website overall) is not designed for spoiler free viewing. Oh, it can be done, and I’ve mastered how to do it.

And, you’re welcome to try and duplicate what I’ve been doing every morning or you can simply go to the homepage of this website. (I typically have the video links loaded by 7:00 AM (US ET) every morning.)

Step 5) Select Your Matches to View and Viewing Style

With as many as 12 matches to watch there’s no way you can watch everything, so you’ve got to be selective. The daily preview has an overview of what the key matches are each day. What’s on the line in terms of qualification, etc. I also post the betting lines as they give insight as to what matches are supposed to be close and which matches are supposed to be blowouts. Finally, I highlight which matches have commentary from Paul Bray. It’s still enjoyable to watch matches without commentary, but having commentary makes it a bit better.

So, after I select which matches to watch I map out my viewing subject to how much time I have. Some matches warrant a full start to finish viewing. (France – Denmark tomorrow fits that category) while others are more of a watch a few minutes and then fast forward towards the end, just in case something crazy happens.

And, if you want to watch on the big screen all you need is an HDMI cable. The stream is of pretty good quality and should translate well to most TVs

Step 6) Repeat steps 3 through 5 until December 16th and Happy Handball Watching

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Thursday, 5 Dec)

Posted on December 5, 2019 by John Ryan

Serbia will take on the Netherlands in the match of the day, Thursday.

It’s Match Day 4 for Groups A and D. Unlike Groups B and C, the math for which nations are likely to advance is pretty straight forward.

IHF Preview of today’s matches: Link

Also, if you find yourself geoblocked out of the IHF web stream this article has some tips that should help you find a way to watch: Link

Thursday, 5 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
Odds courtesy of Bwin

Group A

15:00 Cuba vs Slovenia (-15.5) Video Link
18:00 Serbia vs Netherlands (-2.5) Video Link
20:30 Norway (-9.5) vs Angola Video Link

Barring some major upsets it appears that Norway, the Netherlands and Serbia are likely to advance to the Main Round. This means that the result of today’s match between Serbia and the Netherlands will likely carry forward to the Main Round. Slovenia, can also still possibly qualify with a win over Cuba today and win vs Serbia on Friday. But, they will need to dramatically improve upon their performance in the last two matches.

Group D

15:00 DR Congo vs China (-1.5) Video Link
18:00 Japan vs Russia (-7.5) Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
20:30 Sweden (-10.5) vs Argentina Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)

Russia has already qualified for the Main Round and Sweden will also qualify with a win over Argentina. Japan will also likely qualify with a win over China on Friday. This means that the match between Japan and favored, Russia will likely carry through to the next round.

46-7: Why France Had their Foot on the Gas all 60 Minutes vs Australia

Posted on December 4, 2019 by John Ryan

France was relentless in their 46-7 victory over Australia. But, for good reason. It’s all hypothetical now, but I’m not even sure that 39 goal beat down was enough.

Not Enough Hours in Day for the Blowout Matches

I’ve been watching a lot of IHF Women’s World Championship Handball the past few days. A lot. Easily the most I ever have, mostly due to the time difference with Japan and my adoption of time shifting. I wake up and I have 6 to 12 matches to watch at my leisure.

But, there aren’t enough hours in a day to watch everything and undermanned Australia taking on the big dogs in the Group of Death was pretty low on my priority list. Seriously, I suspect no handball minnow has ever been put into such a tough and utterly hopeless group.

Some Interesting Handball Math

As I was calculating the different scenarios for Group B this morning, though, I came to realize that there was a distinct possibility that France and Brazil could en up in a two team tie, level on 5 points. And, since they had played to a 19-19 draw the next tiebreaker to decide which team would advance to the Main Round was Goal Differential in All Games Played.

Alas, that scenario didn’t play out. France beat Germany and Denmark beat Brazil. Eliminating Brazil and setting up a winner take all match between France and Denmark to advance to the Main Round.

But… It could well have happened. And, if the matches had turned out differently today the Brazil – Australia match on Friday would have become bizarrely compelling.

Compelling, because Brazil would have had the challenge of beating Australia by around 45-50 goals to catch France on Goal Differential. The exact number of goals needed is speculation, because the results required didn’t happen. Going in to today’s matches France was at +37 and Brazil was at -12 for a total difference of 49. IF France had lost and Brazil had won that difference would have shrunk to at least 47.

That’s a lot of goals. Which got me thinking how did France get such a huge GD? And, of course, the answer is the 46-7 scoreline over Australia earlier in the week. Yes, someone on coach Olivier Krumbholz’s staff was way ahead of me on this possibility. So, out of curiosity I took a closer look at this game I normally would never have given a second thought to.

Not Your Typical Big Fish – Minnow Game

And, sure enough it was not your typical big fish – minnow match. (Hey, I’ve played a few of those and know exactly how they generally play out.) The big fish rests some of his starters for the games later that matter. The minnow plays hard, maybe hangs around a bit, but the scoreline gradually stretches to 5 goals… 10 goals… 15…. 20… at which point the big fish relaxes a little bit. Still plays hard… but, not super hard. Works on his set offense a little bit. Tries some different combinations. The minnow plays hard the whole match. Maybe even does a little bit better than one would expect because the other team is kind of in cruise mode. Depending on the size of the respective fishes the scoreline is typically in the 15-25 goal range.

Uhh… That was not this game. Not even close. France looked to score at every opportunity. They were relentless and really, really pushed the fast break even in the dying minutes of the match. The defense was also strong throughout as Australia only managed 7 goals in 60 minutes. A comprehensive beat down. 46-7. +39 goals. And, you know what. Credit to the Aussies… They played hard the whole way against the defending World Championships. If they hadn’t… I shudder to think what that final margin might have been.

France – Australia Match Video: Link

An Interesting Hypothetical

Which leads to a very interesting hypothetical. France poured it on… just in case. An insurance policy. What if instead, it wasn’t a maybe. But, a no kidding, you must win by 50 goals. How would such a match play out?

Brazil is a bit older and not quite as capable in the run and gun mode as France and France won by 39. To get 11 more goals would require more creativity, essentially more risks. Some possibilities:

A basketball style full court press
Relentless marking of Australia’s two or three players (with more experience) to force their very inexperienced players into turnovers.
7 v 6 for the entire match
Shooting at the first possibility, even if it is kind of a crazy shot just to up the tempo

Would it work? I don’t know. Even more interesting would be Australia’s reaction. Suddenly, no longer playing a meaningless group play match, but now a match with real consequences. And, to an extent being a bit insulted. Pride would surely kick in. You gonna play crazy style against us… maybe will just slow this game down a bit.

Again, I don’t know how this would play out. It sure would have been something to watch though.

I can just picture it: French fans going wild and cheering on Australia as they cut the margin to 45 with a last second goal as the clock expires.

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Wednesday, 4 Dec)

Posted on December 4, 2019 by John Ryan

A 1-1-1 record is not where defending champions, France thought they would be at this point. Heck, with a loss to Germany today they will be in danger of not even qualifying for the Main Round.

It’s Match Day 4 for Groups B and C and it’s time to start separating the contenders from the pretenders.

IHF Preview of today’s matches: Link

Also, if you find yourself geoblocked out of the IHF web stream this article has some tips that should help you find a way to watch: Link

Wednesday, 4 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
Odds courtesy of Unibet

Group B

15:00 Australia vs S Korea (-27.5) Video Link
19:00 Germany vs France (-3.5) Video Link
20:30 Denmark (-2.5) vs Brazil Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)

Germany has qualified for the the Main Round and South Korea will be in good shape as well, assuming they beat Australia. This means there’s a 3 team battle between France, Denmark and Brazil for the 3rd slot. Both the Germany-France and Denmark-Brazil matches have huge implications both for qualifying for the main round and likely in the main round standings.

Group C

15:00 Romania vs Montenegro (-4.5) Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
15:00 Spain (-14.5) vs Kazakhstan Video Link
19:00 Senegal vs Hungary (-8.5) Video Link

Romania-Montenegro is the key match in Group C. A Montenegro win will qualify them for the Main Round and set up a battle vs Spain on Friday to win the Group. Romania is clearly not up to par this tournament having suffered a blowout loss to Spain and just beating Kazakhstan yesterday by 2 goals.

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Tuesday, 3 Dec)

Posted on December 3, 2019 by John Ryan

Can the undefeated German women beat Denmark for the first time in 19 years. 19 years? Really? Yes, Really

It’s Match Day 3 for all four groups at the 2019 IHF Women’s World Handball Championships in Japan. Below are the times, odds and video links for all the matches.

Remember, if you find yourself geoblocked out of the IHF web stream this article has some tips that should help you find a way to watch: Link

Here’s the IHF preview for the day’s competition: Link

Tuesday, 3 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
Odds courtesy of Sporting Bet

Group A
15:00 Netherlands (-22) vs Cuba Video Link
18:00 Slovenia (-5) vs Angola Video Link
20:30 Serbia vs Norway (-6.5) Video Link

The Netherlands should have no problem with Cuba. Slovenia had a disastrous 2nd half yesterday vs Norway and will hope to get back on the winning track vs Angola. Norway and Serbia is a battle of unbeatens, although Serbia has yet to play a challenging foe.

Group B
15:00 S Korea (-1) vs Brazil Video Link
19:00 France (-25.5) vs Australia Video Link
20:30 Denmark (-1.5) vs Germany Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)

Group B is a pretty interesting group at this point with every team but Australia garnering at least 1 point in the first 2 matches. Both the S Korea – Brazil and the Denmark – Germany matches are worth checking out.

Group C
15:00 Hungary vs Montenegro (-1) Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
15:00 Spain (-8.5) vs Senegal Video Link
19:00 Romania (-9.5) vs Kazakhstan Video Link

The match worth seeing here is definitely Hungary – Montenegro. Hungary lost to Spain on Monday while Montenegro is 2-0-0, although those wins were over Senegal and Kazakhstan.

Group D
14:30 DR Congo vs Russia (-17.5) Video Link
17:00 China vs Argentina (-1) Video Link
19:30 Japan vs Sweden (-2.5) Video Link

Group D has 3 unbeaten teams (Russia, Japan, and Sweden) and 3 teams (DR Congo, China and Argentina) still looking for a win. This means that the Japan vs Sweden match will likely factor into the Main Round standings. If Japan is to have a shot at making the semifinals they need a win here. The China vs Argentina match will be interesting battle of relative continent strength between Asia and South America.

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Monday, 2 Dec)

Posted on December 1, 2019 by John Ryan

Tjaša Stanko poured in 12 goals for Slovenia in the their upset over the Netherlands on Day 1. Slovenia will likely need another performance like that on Monday vs Group A Favorites, Norway.

It’s Match Day 2 for Groups A and D at the 2019 IHF Women’s World Handball Championships in Japan. Below are the times, odds and video links for all the matches.

Remember, if you find yourself geoblocked out of the IHF web stream this article has some tips that should help you find a way to watch: Link

Monday, 2 December
All Times Local (CET is -8 hrs / US ET is -14 hrs)
Odds courtesy of Sporting Bet

Group A
12:30 Cuba vs Serbia (-15.5) Video Link
15:00 Angola vs Netherlands (-6.5) Video Link
20:30 Slovenia vs Norway (-6.5) Video Link

Serbia will look to stay unbeaten vs a Cuban side that will seek to improve upon their 31 goal loss to Norway. The Netherlands takes on Angola in a battle of two teams that lost on the opening day. The final match will have surprising Slovenia (upset winners over the Netherlands on opening day) taking on group favorites Norway.

Group D
15:00 Argentina vs Russia (-13.5) Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
18:00 AM DR Congo vs Japan (-6.5) Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
20:30 AM China vs Sweden (-16) Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)

This group’s matches feature two likely blowout. Russia will be heavily favored against Argentina. Likewise, China will be longshot vs Sweden. Argentina gave Japan a good match on Day 1, but will face a much stiffer battle vs Russia. Congo played Sweden close for a half and will seek to give the hosts a battle.

Women’s Handball WC “Spoiler Free” Preview (Sunday, 1 Dec)

Posted on December 1, 2019 by John Ryan

France vs Brazil: 2 teams desperate to avoid going 0-0-2 to start the competition

With the 2019 IHF Women’s WC taking place in Japan handball fan in North and South America probably aren’t going to be able to watch very many matches live. Japan is 14 hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast and most matches take place in the wee hours of the morning. Even fans in Europe might be a little challenged with the 8 hour time difference. Certainly, during the week when folks have to work.

Of course, if you want to know the result of any match, social media and the IHF will quickly tell you who won and how.

But, what if you don’t want to know? What, if you prefer to watch without knowing who’s going to win?

Well, it’s not always easy to remain oblivious, but I’m going to try and help you do so with “Spoiler Free” links to match video. Along, with a few notes as to what’s on the line for that upcoming matches.

Also, if you find yourself geoblocked out of the IHF web stream this article has some tips that should help you find a way to watch: Link

Sunday, 1 December

Group B
Brazil vs France Video Link
Australia vs Germany Video Link
S Korea vs Denmark Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)

Both Brazil and France lost on the first day of competition. France to South Korea and Brazil to Germany, so both sides will want to avoid going 0-0-2. Australia will be huge underdogs to Germany while S Korea and Denmark will both try to move to 2-0-0 in the Group

Group C
Kazakhstan vs Montenegro Video Link
Spain vs Hungary Video Link (With Commentary from Paul Bray)
Senegal vs Romania Video Link

Kazakhstan will be a big underdog vs Montenegro. Spain and Hungary both won their matches, so that is a battle of unbeaten teams. Senegal gave Montenegro a close game while Romania was blown out by Spain. Could be interesting to see whether Romania can bounce back.