Article by Ionuţ Iordache, Adrian Jitea – Published Sunday, November 30, 2025, 00:11 / Updated Sunday, November 30, 2025 00:12
Romania defeated Japan, score 31-27, and qualified for the main group stage of the Women's Handball World Championship. The selector Ovidiu Mihăilă commented extensively on the game and made the calculations for the “shock” with Denmark.
- Reporter Adrian Jitea and photojournalist Ionuț Iordache are in Rotterdam with the Romanian national team and transmit all the information and images that matter
- The last match in the group will be Romania – Denmark, Monday, December 1, from 21:30, liveTEXT on GSP.ro.
Romania shot hard for the victory against Denmark. He broke away at the end, in a carousel of emotions that exhausted the selector Ovidiu Mihăilă.
Asked by the GSP reporter what the pulse measuring bracelet indicated, the selector left the verdict for the next meeting: “When I get home I have to check. I put it on myself, it's not easy. I'm not choleric, but I live every game to the fullest, I love this sport, I love what I do. I can't be a statue and just watch the game.”
In the same context, he also remembered the elimination received in the match against Japan: “I'm sorry for the moment today, which could have put the result in some danger, it was a gesture… an instinct that cost us at that moment. Thank you girls!”.
VIDEO. Ovidiu Mihăilă, “hot” analysis after the match against Japan
“I want to open this discussion a little bit differently. I don't think we should relate to Japan's match against Denmark. I think it was a pure coincidence. I told them that a very difficult match awaits us, with a high physical load. I was aware that Japan would capitalize on all its qualities.
It was not by chance that it was such a game, with small problems that we could avoid especially in the central area of our defence. Let's enjoy the present, what these girls have achieved.
I'm happy with the score, I'm happy that I've passed 30 goals again. We missed many times from the 1v1 situation, but I'm glad the girls kept their composure and made the most of the following opportunities. We have to admit that we had little problems in defense. But I met a different handball and a different school. I think we have found the right solutions”, said Mihăilă in an interview given to “cald”.
I said it at home too. These girls have earned their right to be respected, it denotes that they are beautiful characters. People look at this aspect. They said that they will play for everything that means Romania, for the people here, for those at home. That's how every game is, you have to know how to suffer.
– Ovidiu Mihăilă, the Romanian coach
Ovidiu Mihăilă dreams far away: “Let's take the match against Norway as a benchmark!”
Ovidiu Mihăilă's debut on the national team bench was recorded on October 15, a more than honorable failure against the national team that dominates world handball, Norway, score 27-29. Ahead of December 1's clash with Denmark, the coach links to recent Nordic memory.
“I think we have to take the game against Norway as a benchmark, when we had a good evolution, we had constancy. I think that in the case of Denmark it's a different style, easier to read. They are players who play in Romania, our goalkeepers know them. I think we have to trust that we, in Romania, can rise to their level.
Why not, we might even win this match. It would take us higher than we first thought. I just want to look at the Denmark game. We have to capitalize on everything we can. Why not win? Why not leave with 4 points?
Even if it will be very difficult, it is a force in world handball, but we have to play with courage. I think we can rise to the level of Denmark”, concluded Mihăilă.
- Annne Mette Hansen, Emma Friis and Trine Ostergaard are the 3 Danish handball players who play in Romania, all at CSM Bucharest.
PHOTO GALLERY. How the tricolor handball players celebrated the victory with Japan
The schedule and results in the Romania group:
Romania's squad for the World Championship:
- Goalkeepers: Iulia Dumanska (Minaur), Bianca Curmentă (Corona Brașov), Elena Șerban (Danurea Brăila)
- Far right: Sonia Seraficeanu (Gloria Bistrița), Mihaela Mihai (CSM Bucharest)
- Inter right: Alicia Gogîrla (SCM Craiova)
- Coordinators: Rebeca Necula (Rm. Vâlcea), Alisia Boiciuc (Corona Brașov), Andreea Popa (Brăila Danube), Elena Roșu (Brăila Danube), Cristina Laslo (Gloria Bistrița)
- Pivots: Lorena Ostase (Gloria Bistrita), Sonia Vasiliu (Slatina), Asma Elghaoui (Rm. Vâlcea)
- Left Integers: Sorina Grozav (Corona Brașov), Maryia Skrobic (Rapid)
- Far left: Gabriela Dumitrascu (Corona Brașov), Eva Kerekes (Gloria Bistrița)
