London, England – Norway moved a step closer toward defending its Olympic gold medal in women's handball Thursday, when it defeated South Korea in the semifinals.
Heidi Loke scored eight goals and Kristine Lunde-Borgersen added six in the 31-25 victory, which put Norway into Saturday's gold medal match. It will face Montenegro, which held off Spain by a 27-26 margin on Thursday.
Norway had some trouble getting into the knockout stage, going 2-2-1 and finishing fourth in Group B. But the defending champions and reigning world titlists appear to be back on track.
Montenegro earned a chance to play for gold, but only after holding off a late charge.
Milena Knezevic's goal in the 58th minute put Montenegro ahead 27-23, but Spain tallied three quick goals -- including two from Elisabeth Pinedo Saenz. However, Pinedo Saenz's team ran out of time.
The loss put Spain in Saturday's bronze medal match against South Korea.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
