09.11.2015, 01:58
Denmark win the Golden League, Germany take the Supercup

REVIEW: The 16 EHF EURO 2016 participants were in the focus over the weekend as test matches and tournaments were played across Europe

Denmark win the Golden League, Germany take the Supercup

Denmark have given their own title ambitions at the EHF EURO 2016 a nice little morale boost by winning the Golden League over the weekend.

The four-nation tournament saw Denmark, Norway, Iceland and France competing over three playing days and was just one of several similar events used by the 16 participants of the upcoming European Championship to test fitness and players alike.

At the Golden League, Denmark had beaten EHF EURO 2014 champions France, who played without Nikola and Luka Karabatic, 23:22 on Thursday. What followed was a 33:28 win against Norway and a 32:24 win against Iceland.

Iceland, who beat Norway 28:27 and France 25:23, finished second. Norway came third as they beat France, who therefore lost all three games, 32:29.

Another four EHF EURO participants were in action in Gdansk where Poland, Russia, Spain and Sweden took to the court. Eventually Spain won the tournament which was also a test event for the EHF EURO.

The EHF EURO 2014 bronze medallists beat Poland 23:20 in the final. In the match for third place Sweden beat Russia 32:28. Both teams had already met on Thursday in Halmstad, Sweden where the hosts won 31:20.

In the 'semi-finals' at the Gdansk tournament on Saturday, Poland had beaten Russia 27:21 and Spain had had the upper hand against Sweden 32:27.

Germany won their tournament on home court, the Supercup, following wins against Brazil as well as fellow EHF EURO participants Slovenia and Serbia.

In the first match on Friday they beat Brazil 29:20; on Saturday they eased past Serbia 37:29 and they finished the Supercup on a high with a 31:28 against Slovenia.

Slovenia beat Serbia (23:21) and Brazil (38:27) and hence finished second, while Serbia also lost to Brazil 29:32 and finished fourth.

Croatia also celebrated a tournament victory on home court. In Umag they beat FYR Macedonia 29:21 and Montenegro 28:23. The match between FYR Macedonia and Montenegro ended in a 30:30 draw.

Completing the field of the 16 EHF EURO participants are Hungary and Belarus who both played at the Provident Cup in Debrecen. Hungary won both matches and hence the tournament, beating Belarus 32:20 and Argentina 28:15.

Belarus also lost 23:30 to Argentina and finished last.

TEXT: EHF / ts