04.10.2012, 10:23
Sweden win, then draw against Iceland

Leaving national coach Per Johansson believes in successful future for women's national team

Sweden win, then draw against Iceland

A win and a draw was the outcome for Sweden's women´s national team as they opened their preparations for the EHF EÙRO 2012 with two test matches at home against Iceland.

After a confident 23-16 win for Sweden on Tuesday evening in Varberg, the second match in Uddevalla on Wednesday ended in a historic 24-24 draw. It was Iceland´s first point ever against Sweden after 14 successive Swedish wins in matches against Iceland.

On Tuesday Sweden's national coach Per Johansson had the opportunity to see several debutants in action, and among these, goalkeeper Maria Olsson from Danish league club Aalborg DH made a particularly convincing impression saving more than 50 per cent of the shots on her goal.

“It was fine, but I got a lot of help from my defence,” Olsson told svenskhandboll.se after the match. Johanna Ahlm was Sweden's top scorer with five goals, while Karen Knutsdottir and Stella Sigurdardottir scored three goals each for Iceland.

However, on Wednesday, Per Johansson's last match as national coach, the match was considerably more even and ended in a 24-24 draw.

Isabelle Gulldén scored six goals for Sweden, while Hrafnhildur Skulardottier netted nine times for Iceland.

Per Johansson leaves the Swedish women on an optimistic note and believes the team has a strong future ahead of it.

“Our basis has never been better. In a few years I think we can be back at the level from 2010 (when Sweden won silver at the EHF EURO),” he told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

The Swedish Handball Federation has not announced Johansson´s successor yet. At the EHF EURO 2012 Sweden are seeded in Group A with France, Denmark and FYR Macedonia, while Iceland will play Romania, Montenegro and Russia in Group D.

For more EHF EURO 2012 news go to www.ehf-euro.com

Also join us on www.facebook.com/EHFEUROWomen

TEXT: Peter Bruun / ts