At the Tokyo Olympics, Japan's national team for handball women, "Orihime Japan," lost to Angola in Round 4 of the qualifying league group A on the 31st, losing 1 win and 3 losses.


The Japanese national team, who participated for the first time in 45 years, is paying attention to whether they can achieve their goal of advancing to the quarterfinals in the final round on the 2nd of next month.

"Fast handball"

"Orihime Japan" is the Japanese national team for handball girls who has participated in 11 tournaments for the first time in 45 years since the Montreal Olympics.


The first step in strengthening the team was to invite the national coach from overseas.

Five years ago, director Ulric Kirkelly from Denmark, the birthplace of the competition, took office.

The manager not only gives technical guidance to the players, but also encourages a change in consciousness so as not to lose to foreigners with large physiques, and the team continues to make progress aiming for a "fast handball" that makes the most of mobility. rice field.

The Tokyo Olympics have arrived.


The result came out in the second round of the qualifying league, the match against Montenegro.


From the fast ball turning, the player who received the pass cuts from the side or the center and shoots with an aggressive attack pattern, winning 29 to 26.

The venue was cheered for the victory in 11 tournaments for the first time in 45 years.


As for the content of the game, Ayaka Ikehara, the team's scoring source, scored the most 6 points for the team, and the team's shooting decision rate was 69%.

Round 3 with rival powerhouse Korea Rep. Who challenged with momentum.


Maharu Kondo, who had few chances to participate in the international tournament this time, made a sharp cut from the left side and scored 7 points, the most in the team, and the attack that made use of speed was refined.


Even if they were attacked by the opponent, goalkeepers Sakura Hauge and Minami Itano made a series of good saves and turned to counterattacks, bringing them into a fierce competition with strong opponents.


Although the match was lost 24 to 27, it was a match that felt a response to the "fast handball" that scored points with haste from a solid defense.


On the other hand, what remained as an issue was that "the foot stopped" at the end of the game.


Even if I turned to haste, the momentum stopped in front of the goal, and there were many scenes where I was attacking while connecting with a pass.

Round 4 on the 31st with these challenges in mind.

It was an important match to make a big step toward the goal of advancing to the quarterfinals if we beat Angola.


Japan has advanced the game in an advantageous way, such as scoring the first goal in this tournament by attacking from the fast ball turning that it has cultivated so far.


However, it was blocked by the save of the opponent keeper who made the best use of his big body, and the development that he could not decide the shot gradually continued.


From the middle, the attack started to slow down as it became "stopped".


Angola took the initiative and couldn't change the flow, allowing the lead to change, and the match was lost 25 to 28, resulting in a total of 1 win and 3 losses.

Captain Hara:


"There was a time when I stopped trying to see what the opponent was doing after scoring points at the start. Therefore, there were fewer attack patterns aimed at the vertical, and the ball could not be turned well, and the flow to the opponent. I have been taken away. I want to fight with a strong feeling until the end in the next game. "



" Orihime Japan "is the final game of the qualifying league on the 2nd.


The opponent is Norway, who has won medals in three consecutive tournaments.


We are paying attention to the further evolution of "Orihime" who have hit everything at the Tokyo Games, how to overcome the challenges that have been seen in the previous games and challenge the powerful players.