Norway meets Iran in the World Cup

Fornebo (Dagbladet): When the Norwegian girls’ handball team compete for gold during the World Cup in Spain in December, they will have to go through an opponent they’ve never seen before.

In the second match, they will face a full Iranian team.

And the Norwegian girls handball know very little about their future opponent.

– I have no idea about them. I haven’t looked at it and got no results, Marta Tomac tells Dagbladet.

It’s a team you haven’t seen often before and they can come up with unexpected things, says Veronica Christiansen.

Not surprisingly, Norwegian girls know little about their Iranian colleagues.

Because after the International Handball Federation expanded the World Cup from 24 to 32 teams, the road to the World Cup became easier for Iran. On Tuesday, September 21, the women’s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time, defeating Syria in the Asian Championship.

playing with hijab

It is not only tactical and game-wise for Iran to differ from the Norwegian girls. They also want to wear a suit and a full veil.

“Oh yeah, I’ve never played against that before,” says Tomac, surprised.

– You just have to respect that. It is part of their culture. This is good. But I never played against her. Or you see it, continue.

Iranian girls, for their part, are looking to show off their headscarves.

“We will do our best to show a team of girls who wear the Islamic headscarf,” said Arizu Kianyara of the Iranian national team. IHF . website.

Captain Chima Zari is also looking forward to showing off the headgear.

– I’m so glad we made history. For many years we have tried to show handball to those who wear the hijab.

Norway’s Moa Hegdahl also did not play against a team where everyone wears a headscarf.

I think I played against some players who wore the hijab growing up in Norway, but not a whole team, I didn’t. So it will be new, Hogdahl.

– There are a lot of shirt rips in handball, so how is that then?

– I do not know. I think it wouldn’t be a problem, but of course it’s a tough sport. But it’s not an issue I haven’t thought about much. But when you say that, it can be a problem.

For his part, Tomac believes that this may help Iran.

It might be easier to make it look ugly, says the linebacker.

– Totally silly

– Not 50/50

Camila Herm does not see any problems and is looking forward to meeting a “new team”.

– I thought it was a bit of fun. You see the joy they feel when they are on the field and when they score goals. So I thought it was very cute. You are looking forward to meeting them. Herim also told Dagbladet that it’s a bit like the World Cup now.

The Iranian captain is also very much looking forward to the match against Norway.

– We’re very excited about the group. I am very happy and I have high hopes before the World Cup in Spain. I know it will be a great experience for my colleagues and I, said Zari.

Veronica Christiansen thinks it can be tough to face teams like Iran.

– We’ve met a lot of teams that you’re not used to playing against, that don’t play quite like us. It’s a concentration test and you have to be focused from start to finish so you don’t get hit by a dumbass.

However, Norway is seen as the favorite ahead of the match against the newcomers at the World Cup.

– It’s great that Iran gets a chance and that they might explode around handball. But I probably don’t think it’s going to be a 50/50 match as Thorer says, Tomac winds up and laughs.

A small indication of Iran’s level was given when they met Japan in the Asian Championship. The Iranian women lost 20-23 to a team that had crushed Norway 37-25 at the Olympics.