Norway take pole position in Slovakia
The Women’s 17 EHF EURO Main Round got underway with Norway leading the pack clearly, while the strength of Germany and Hungary battled it out for a draw. In total, eight games took place in Slovakia as the competition entered the Main and Intermediate Rounds.
All games of the Women’s 17 EHF EURO will be live on ehfTV.
Main Round
Group 1 saw two big clashes on the opening day of the main round as Denmark beat Russia 21:17 (11:9) thanks to five goals from Denmark’s best player Michala Elsberg Moller. Russia could only manage eight goals in the second half as five goals overall from Alina Sinelnikova and a best player performance featuring four goals from Russia’s Mariia Cherniaeva, could not mount e nough of a comeback to trouble the Scandinavians.
In a result which means Group 1 has been blown wide open, Germany and Hungary drew 25:25 (13:12) despite the best efforts of the deadly German goal machine Aimee Von Pereria, who scored nine goals. Her teammate Julia Weise picked up the best player award which Greta Kascsor received for her Hungary side who had Tamara Pal to thank for seven strikes.
These results mean Hungary and Germany top the table with three points, Denmark lie poised in third place with two points and Russia are bottom, without any points.
France and Spain threw-off the Main Round Group II action with the French running out easy 29:24 winners. At half-time the French had a six-goal lead (14:8) already and 14 goals was the impressive total that France’s best player Pauletta Foppa scored in the match. Janna Sobrepera Casol again topped the scoring charts for her Spanish side with eight, scooping the best player award with it.
The Norwegian women overcame a one-goal deficit at half-time to win their clash against Romania 27:23 (10:11). Diana Cristiana Ciuca in the Romanian goal put in a best player performance for her side, but Henrikke Hauge Kjolholdt’s five goals helped grab her side the win and her the best player award for Norway.
The results mean that Norway are clear at the top of the group with four points, followed by France and Romania with two points each and Spain in last place on zero.
Intermediate Round
In Intermediate Round Group 1, Austria beat Croatia 29:23 in the opening match after the teams were tied 13:13 at the break. In a great defensive display, Austrian goalkeeper Lena Ivancok was named best player for her side while Lara Miholic received the award for her display for Croatia.
In the other group 1 match, Netherlands beat Montenegro 20:15 (10:9) which featured another great goalkeeping display as Dutch shot-stopper Liza Gerarda Dymphena Rovers took the award for her side. Teammate Zoe Sprengers again top-scored (eight goals) as she cemented her position at the top of the tournament top-scoring charts with 45 goals, although Anastasia Babovic in the Balkan goal, stopped her scoring more and joined her counterpart at the other end in receiving the best player award for her side.
In the second group of the intermediate round, Czech Republic beat Serbia 21:20 (11:8) as they survived a late red card for Julie Frankova after she received her third two-minute suspension. Czech goalkeeper Sabrina Novotna joined the group of goalkeepers with best player awards on the fourth matchday of which Marija Simic, the Serbia goalkeeper also won the award for her side.
Hosts Slovakia lost 26:22 (11:14) to Sweden after a first-half lead of three which promised much but 10 goals in total from Sweden’s best player Isabelle Andersson put paid to any hopes of a host nation victory. Lucia Tomasechova got four goals as she won the best player award for her side.
Follow the Women’s 17 EHF EURO
All games of the Women’s 17 EHF EURO will be live on ehfTV.
For all the match throw-off times click HERE.
For the official competition website click HERE.
Photos: Slovakian Handball Federation
TEXT: EHF / cor
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