The Olympic Games are over for men's handball.

Slovenia's dream of a historic Olympic semi-final spot was ended on Wednesday night by Norway, who lost 28-33.

Norway trailed by four goals at halftime (12-16). The red team was there after the break, but could not regain the lead.

Gabriel Setterblom came on and did a good job after the break, Norway trailed by three goals with ten minutes left but never got close.

Top scorer Blaz Jank made life miserable for the Norwegian goalkeepers, who did not have the save percentage they needed to advance among the four remaining teams in the tournament.

Torbjørn Bergerud and Kristian Sæverås had save percentages of 25 and 17, respectively.

It was clear on the pitch, and in the final minutes it was the dejected Norwegian team who realised the battle was lost.

– Despair

Slovenia got off to the best start. Torbjørn Bergerud saved one of Slovenia's first 10 shots, but he didn't get much help from his defense either. At halftime, Bergerud and teammate Kristian Sivras had save percentages of 15 and 17, respectively.

Twice during the first half, the goalkeepers were changed.

“It's not often you watch a match,” said Ole Gustaf Jekstad, Discovery's expert commentator.

“We had too few saves. Maybe that gave us a bit of desperation. Then there was a bit of uncertainty, and we have to get rid of it,” assistant coach and former national team goalkeeper Steiner Ege said at half-time.

Stock Bloons

Jonas Willi took a timeout at 7-10 midway through the first period. Alexander Blons was Norway's backup with seven of Norway's first 11 hits.

“He contributes greatly to keeping us in the game,” Gekstad said.

That was not enough for Norway.

It has been more than four years since the Norwegian men's team won the precious metals at the tournament. At the 2020 European Championships they took bronze after beating Slovenia. In 2017 and 2019 they took silver in the bathroom.

The Norwegian boys' handball team has only participated in the Olympic Games twice before. In Munich in 1972 they finished eighth. In Tokyo three years ago they finished seventh.

Dramatic day in Lil

26,406 tickets were sold for the match at the stadium, which is the home ground of Lille football club. That's more than all the Norwegian players in the lead have played in earlier in their careers. The record was set for a men's handball match during the European Championship in Germany. Then there were 53,586 in attendance for the first two matches in Düsseldorf.

The previous three quarter-finals in Lille had provided huge drama, with Spain beating Egypt in extra time before hosts France were surprisingly beaten by Germany, also after a full-time draw.

Denmark then reached the semi-finals at the expense of its neighbor Sweden.