Speed, technical skill and experience
Each of the three left wings presented in chapter two of the ‘Three to look out for’ series combine three of the most important qualities a modern winger should possess.
They are all fast, technically skilled and they have plenty of experience at the highest international level.
Sanna Solberg, Norway
Almost no matter what position you are talking about, it is almost impossible not to mention a player from Norway, being the super power in women’s handball this team is - left wing is no exception.
The only thing Sanna Charlotte Solberg misses this season is experience from the Women´s EHF Champions League, of which she got so much while playing in Larvik from 2014 to 2017.
However, the 28-year-old compensates for this with plenty of court time for Team Esbjerg, where she has played a crucial part in the west Danish team’s position atop the Danish league this autumn.
She is good at making use of her height, 178 cm, to create a perfect angle from the wing and she possesses a rich variety of shots.
On top of her qualities in attack, she is brilliant in defence as well. Here, she can cover the left back position, a feat not often accomplished by wing players.
She certainly lives up to national coach Thorir Hergeirsson’s wish for versatile players and with 114 internationals under her belt, she also has the necessary experience in abundance.
Despite becoming EHF EURO champion twice and world champion once, there is no doubt Sanna Solberg is hungry for more.
Majda Mehmedovic, Montenegro
When Majda Mehmendovic follows her habit of rolling up her sleeves before a match, be it for CSM Bucuresti or the Montenegrin national team, you can be sure she is ready for action.
Short, but speedy and effective, she was a key player already in Buducnost in her homeland, and this is what she has also been for CSM during her two and a half seasons with the Romanian club.
“I am going to improve my English!” she said when joining CSM in 2016, but she has improved much more than that, developing her game in all aspects over that past couple of years.
To Montenegro, she is also a crucial asset and beyond any doubt a player, on whom national coach Per Johansson can rely.
Coach and player know each other well from the past two seasons, when Johansson stepped in as interim coach to guide CSM to the Women’s EHF FINAL4 on two separate occasions.
Therefore, Montenegro’s Swedish coach is well-acquainted with Medmedovic’s qualities, such as her speed, good eye for steals in defence and an high efficiency in shooting.
On top of this, her impressive spirit on court is a constant inspiration to her teammates.
Polina Kuznetsova, Russia
Returning home to Russia, now representing Rostov-Don after a year in HC Vardar, has been a good move for Kuznetsova, who is set to be one of national coach Evegenii Trefilov’s most reliable players in France, like she has been on so many occasions in the past.
Aged 31, with 136 internationals for Russia as well as her vast Women’s EHF Champions League experience, she possesses all the experience you can ask for and she has fine-tuned her excellent shooting technique and a fine eye for the position of the goalkeeper, two of her finest qualities.
The elegant left wing is among the absolute best in the world on a good day and she has many of those.
She is good at moving in from her wing position when called for, and defensively, she is particularly good in an advanced position in an aggressive defence.
Polina Kuznetsova has been crowned world champion twice, the first time at the age of only 18, as Russia won at home, the second time two years later in France.
She is also has Olympic gold from Rio 2016, but she has yet to pick up EHF EURO gold and will play a massive part if Russia are to seriously contend for the title.
TEXT:
Peter Bruun / cor