22nd Men's Handball World Championship - Croatia - Poland 28:24 (13:11), postgame video interview with Piotr Wyszomirski and goalkeepers match stats

Postgame interview with the deputy goalkeeper Piotr Wyszomirski after Crotia - Poland game. His performance as well as Sławomir Szmal's belongs to the few positive sides of that game.

Szmal saved 42% of shots (15 of 36 attempts). He saved also two penalty shots and sucesfully stopped opponents in situations one to one a few times.

Wyszomirski replaced Szmal in 42'. He saved 46% of shots (6 of 13), one penalty shot and managed to save a shot in one to one situation.

But a goalkeeper can't win a game alone...

Wyszomirski o porażce z Chorwacją: coś pękło, zeszło z nas powietrze

It was really an important match for us, as if it was the final. We were fighting for the qualification to the Olympic Games. We are going to play another final two days later. We will see how it's going to turn out. I think we lacked the spirt, everyone had had a different expectations in the first place. We arrived on those Championships with other plan.

Something went wrong, we lacked the consequence in the attack and commited stupid mistakes in the defence. We had to chase the result again and that cost us dear. We were not able to catch up with the result and we lost.

Question: In your opinion that game could be won?

I think so. At the beggining Croats were very nervous. We also didn't look the best, but we lead the game at the beginning of the first half. So I think that if our counter-attacks had been sucessful and we had scored we would have had a chance. We could get clear lead and they would have to chase the result. I think we could have won this match.

22nd Men's Handball World Championship - Poland - Serbia 27:26 (10:11)

Another thrilling game. The ending was almost as desperate as in the match against Norway two years ago, when Poland won after Artur Siódmiak's throw from the distance, just a few second before the final whistle. They qualified to the semifinal back then.

This time there will be no semifinal, Poland is already without a chance to play for the medal. But is still in the game for the qualification round to Olympic Games 2012.

It was Tomasz Tłuczyński's match, no doubt about this, he scored 10 goals and was almost faultless today. He said later it's was a present for Karol Bielecki, whose birthday are today.

The ending was dramatic. Poland took the lead in the second half, but Serbia managed to tie the game just a few minutes before the end. The coach Bogdan Wenta took the timeout 30 seconds before the full time to give instuctions to the players. To try to score, but what was more important - to not lose. The plan worked. Karol Bielecki scored the goal which give the victory, and Piotr Wyszomirski saved the last throw of desperation of Serbian team.

Watch the last 30 seconds of the game: here.

22nd Men's Handball World Championship - Poland - Chile 38:23 (15:13)

Poland beat Chile 38:23. Finally a fine victory. The first half didn't look the best, although Poland lead for the most of the time, but in the second the team rushed to the attack. Chile's defence played well at the beginning, but then Polish players found a way to go through it and also to stop opponents' attack.

Quite good game for the goalkeepers Sławomir Szmal and Piotr Wyszomirski. Both had to face penalties and they managed to save one each. Szmal was very good at the beginning of the first half, made a few good saves.

Wyszomirski played the second half. His biggest mistakes were quite unfortunate passes, which were snatched by the opponents (fortunately not used well in the most dangerous situation, the ball was thrown into the empty goal, but hit the post). However, overall he saved around 50% of shots.

Tommorrow Poland against South Korea. It's not going to be easy...

Poland - Czech Republic (33:32), New Year's Tournament in Gdynia, 7.01.11, videos

Went to watch a handball games a week ago on the New Year's Tournament in Gdynia. Enjoyed both, Slovakia against Hungary and Poland against Czech Republic. Took some video footage during the latest.

Polish handball team before Poland - Czech Republic game (Gdynia, 7.01.11)



Warm-up session







Piotr Wyszomirski's warm-up session



Poland - Czech Republic game





The end of the match, Karol Bielecki is named the best Polish player of the game



I have also loads of photos but still need some time to chose the best ones.

22nd Men's Handball World Championship - Poland - Slovakia 35:33 (15:17)

After an even and hard game Poland won with Slovakia 35:33. It has nothing in common with the game on New Year's Tournament in Gdynia, where Poland snatched the lead easily and kept it till the final whistle. Slovakia surprised Polish team, and even took the lead on the end of the first half.

In the second half Polish team reduced the distance and took the lead. At 50' was five goals ahead. Slovakia didn't gave up and at two minutes before the final whistle it was only one goal difference. However, goals of Bielecki and Jurecki guaranteed Poland the first victory on the Championships.

As for the goalkeepers - Sławomir Szmal showed a glimpse of his skills especially in the second half and made good saves in the cruacial moments, when Poland was fighthing to catch up with Slovakia. Piotr Wyszmirski appeared on for a while.

As for Slovakia's side. I expected Richard Štochl to be better, actually. Then Martin Pramuk changed him, a total surprise (he was not playing on the Tournament in Gdynia) and was one of the best players on the pitch, made really stunning saves. For sure it was his day, even if Slovakia didn't won the game.

Would do a proper picspam but don't have time for this now.

Today next game: Poland against Argentina.

Handball, Euro 2012 qualifiers: Poland vs Ukraine 23-15, 28 Nov 2010

Polish national handball team started the Euro 2012 qualifications well and registered the first victory. Although they did struggle a bit with Ukraine defence in the first half, they almost completely dominated the game in the second. Good defence helped to keep the advantage, and Polish goalkeeper, Sławomir Szmal, made a lot of great saves.

Piotr Wyszomirski substitued Sławomir Szmal near the end of the second half, and played the last 11 minutes. He started from making a great save.











Polish coach, Bogdan Wenda





Karol Bielecki was back to the team. He suffered a severe eye injury during a friendly match against Croatia in June. Despite the surgeries his left eye remained blind. Although he officially announced the end of his career, he changed his mind a few days later and decided to continue playing. Now he uses special goggles.





Unfortunately no photo of the Polish goalies from the game. So, a photo from Euro 2010.



Goalkeepers Sławomir Szmal (right) and Piotr Wyszomirski (left) celebrate with a team mate Mariusz Jurkiewicz after the match against Czech Republic, 26 January 2010. Poland won 35:34.

Today Poland is going to play qualifier against Portugal.