04.06.2014, 07:00
Denmark beat Ukraine and book ticket to Women's EHF EURO 2014

REVIEW: The World Championship 2013 bronze medallists win the rescheduled encounter from Round 4 to qualify for the final tournament in Hungary and Croatia

Denmark beat Ukraine and book ticket to EHF EURO 2014

Denmark have won their Women's EHF EURO 2014 qualifier against Ukraine in Michalovce, Slovakia 28:24 on Wednesday night and have become the fifth team to make it from the qualification through to the final tournament in December in Hungary and Croatia.

The match was originally supposed to take place at the end of March 2014, but was rescheduled and played on neutral ground because of the political situation in Ukraine.

The result means that Denmark will definitely occupy one of the two top spots in Group 1, while second ranked Austria only need one more point to follow Denmark suit.

Having gained just two points from four matches, the EHF EURO 2014 might become the first women's final tournament to take place without Ukraine. A final decision for the two top spots in Group 1 might already be made when Austria face Denmark on 7 June in Vienna.

Denmark had taken an early lead in Wednesday's match and were ahead 8:3 after only eight minutes had been played. However, Ukraine fought back and led by right back Olha Nikolayenko, who scored seven goals, and right wing Iuliia Managarova, who netted five times, they scored seven unanswered goals.

Denmark then levelled the result again at 10:10 before both teams went into the dressing rooms at 16:16 at half-time.

Ukraine had their chances for a surprise, leading 19:17 after 35 minutes, but then they scored only twice in 16 minutes and Denmark forged ahead to 25:21 in the 51st minute - it was a lead they did not let slip from their hands until the end of the game.

Best scorer for Denmark was Ann Grete Norgaard Osterballe with eight goals from eight attempts.

Besides Denmark it had been Russia, Montenegro, France and Norway that had already qualified for the Women's EHF EURO 2014. Hosts Croatia and Hungary are directly qualified.

Rounds 5 and 6 of the qualification will be played from 7 to 15 June. The final tournament draw will take place in Zagreb, Croatia on 19 June at 13:00 hrs local time. The final tournament itself is played from 7 to 21 December 2014.

TEXT: EHF / ts