Scheffknecht: "We will qualify for sure"

The schedule of Group 1 of the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 Qualification had to be changed several times due the political situation in Ukraine.

This fact influences Austria’s situation who are close to qualifying for the final tournament, being ranked second with three wins from four matches and four points ahead of Ukraine on third.

Ukraine play their rescheduled fourth round encounter against Denmark on Wednesday, 4 June, while Austria meet Denmark in their fifth round encounter already on 7 June in Vienna.

If Denmark beat Ukraine on Wednesday, a draw against the World Championship 2013 bronze medallists on Saturday is already enough to book the ticket for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014.

In this exclusive interview left back Beate Scheffknecht reasons why the time is ripe for Austria to qualify. Scheffknecht has scored 38 goals in the qualification campaign so far and has recently been awarded “Best player of the season” for her club, German side “Frisch Auf Göppingen”.

ehf-euro.com: Do you expect some help from Denmark for your mission to qualify for the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 in Croatia and Hungary?
Beate Scheffknecht: We focus on us – and as we face Denmark on Saturday, we hope to beat them. But if they beat Ukraine, it would make things easier for us.

ehf-euro.com: Are you confident that Austria will qualify for the EHF EURO?
Beate Scheffknecht: We will qualify for sure! We will be boosted against Denmark by the double feature on Saturday with the men’s team (Austria’s men play their World Championship 2015 Play-off against Norway straight after the women’s match, ed.), and we have the fate in our hands in Slovakia where we face Ukraine. Since Monday we have been preparing for this, and we are fully focussed to reach out for this EHF EURO ticket.

ehf-euro.com: After a long season, how much of role will fatigue play?
Beate Scheffknecht: The season in Germany was really long and hard. But we arrived at the national team with the clear will to make it to Hungary and Croatia. Having this in mind, you forget how tired you are.

ehf-euro.com: You are the current top scorer and your teammate Sonja Frey is also among the Top 5, having scored 29 times already. What is the Austrian secret of scoring so many goals?
Beate Scheffknecht: I really don’t know. It is the team which helps Sonja (pictured above) and me to score. We showed three good matches as a team, this might be the reason, why we are on top.

ehf-euro.com: Is becoming top scorer of this qualification a goal for you?
Beate Scheffknecht: To be honest, I don’t care about it, I only want to be part of the EHF EURO; this is what counts. If I also finish on top of this list, it is ok. If not, I don’t mind.

ehf-euro.com: What has changed in the Austrian team in the recent past?
Beate Scheffknecht: It all dates back to the World Championship 2009 in China. After this event Austria put together a new, very young team. And a young team needs some time to improve and to rehearse. But now we all hope that the time has come for us. In case we make it to the EHF EURO, it is a product of hard work.

ehf-euro.com: . . . and of the motivational skills of your coach Herbert Müller ?
Beate Scheffknecht: Of course. He is one of the greatest motivators in handball. Herbert is the right coach for a team like us, which sometimes needs to get pushed a bit.