Sweden break all records, 11 teams take second victory in EHF EURO qualifiers
This Sunday marked the end of the first phase of the EHF EURO 2028 qualifiers, and the 13 games the fans witnessed delivered their share of top-level handball.
The closest game of this Sunday was played in Podgorica, where the Faroe Islands and Montenegro shared points in group 4.
Across the eight groups, 11 teams enjoyed their second victory on Sunday, taking them a step closer to the final tournament. On the other hand, teams that are still on zero points will have to react when the EHF EURO qualifiers resume in March next year.
We fought very well in the first half. I believe we played a fluid style of handball that caught Norway by surprise. We defended well, but Norway are one of the best teams in the world and they play at a very high pace. Whenever our performance dipped, Norway made no mistakes, extending the lead to win the match.
The atmosphere was great. It was like we expected, and Türkiye came out with a phenomenal tempo. They were playing very fast at the beginning of the match, but we were just as fast as them, and we just continued with our work and won the match by 14 goals. We are satisfied with the win.
We are disappointed with the result, but we gave our best despite having an incomplete squad. It was a difficult match, and we know that we have the potential to perform much better. We will use this experience to improve, and I am confident that we will come back stronger in March and May. We will continue working hard and fighting for our goals.
I am really happy with the performance of my team. It was really great. At the beginning, we were really focused on playing a really good game in both defence and attack. I can only congratulate my team.
We also tried to put up a strong fight against Serbia, especially considering how much this home match meant to us. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned in the second half. We played a lot in a 7-on-6 formation, which worked well in the first half, but we made too many unnecessary mistakes and turnovers, allowing our opponents to score several goals into an empty net. Our 7-on-6 strategy was effective in the first half, but we struggled to maintain the same level of performance in the second half, particularly in our 6-on-6 play. We still have some difficulties to overcome, but we will continue working on improving our performance.
We got off to a slow start and struggled quite a bit in the opening stages of the game. At half-time, we were only two goals ahead, but we stepped up our defensive performance in the second half, with our goalkeepers providing excellent support. We managed to score several easy goals and ultimately lived up to our status as favourites.
We were mostly in the game for the first ten minutes, but after that, they completely took over. In the second half, when they brought on some substitutes, we managed to create a few opportunities of our own. However, we were still facing one of the best teams in the world. Compared to our game against Serbia, though, we showed better teamwork.
We actually got off to a slow start, but once we found our rhythm, we stuck to our game plan and everything went exactly as we had agreed. Estonia also have some talented players. They still have a long way to go, but anything is possible.
We put in a good performance in the first half, but the gap in level between us and Hungary is very significant. In the second half, we couldn't manage anything; I am not satisfied with our performance. Matches against a team like Hungary are always difficult. We faced a tough draw, with three very strong opponents. We have a match coming up against Montenegro; with some players returning and the support of our home crowd, we might have a chance. I still believe we can deliver good performances and do our absolute best.
We had a bad start, then we managed to control the game with good defence and saves in goal. We built a big advantage, managed it until the end and enjoyed the match.
This point is worth its weight in gold for us. It was not easy to play a match like this, especially after the heavy defeat in Hungary. It shows that we are mentally strong and ready for games that are decided in the closing stages. The Faroe Islands play 7-on-6, they are very well organised and know each other extremely well, so it will only be after some time has passed that we fully realise just how important this point is.
It was a tough match. We knew it would be difficult playing in Montenegro and how challenging our opponents can be in front of their home fans. We were two goals behind, but in the end, a draw was a fair result.
The atmosphere was incredible. Everyone, from the stands to the players on the court, put in an enormous effort. We conceded 19 goals in the first half, which ultimately proved to be too much of a deficit to overcome as the game went on. Today, there was some nervousness at the start, and towards the end, the game became very fragmented. We want to keep fighting for our chance until the very end. We have a two-game series against Latvia to win, not a game against France followed by picking up points in Poland.
The entire game was really tough for us, and we expected a difficult challenge today. Our coach prepared us very well tactically. We are happy to come away with the two points, especially because playing in Romania is always a tough challenge. We are delighted with this win!
You have to return to the basics for the international level. The players really stepped up; overall, their attitude was very positive. Despite the heavy scoreline, they are trying – trying to learn, trying to evolve. It’s a process, and we know that going through experiences like this is a necessary part of moving forward. In the last 15 days, there have been some very positive developments. It is also clear that this is a very young team.
I am very happy about the result and I felt very honoured to be Sweden’s captain today. I am also happy for all those new guys who came in and showed their qualities. It was a really good performance. Everybody wanted to prove how good they are and everybody played a really good game. It does not matter if we have the regular team or the new guys on court, they all love to play handball.
A huge victory for our team and another fantastic effort from all the players. I am truly proud of my teammates. Everyone gives 100% with complete focus. We managed to neutralise all of our opponents' strengths. Personally, I am not satisfied with finishing third in the group. We will fight for second place.
I believe that the Greek national team deserved to win today. They were the better team. We made a very poor start to the match. We respected Greece, but that was not enough. The new player in the left-back position (Stathis) was a surprise for us. He is a young player who scored a lot of goals. Toskas was also very good. We need to take things step by step. At the end of May, Greece will come to play on our home court, and I believe that match will be the one that decides second place in the group.
