14.11.2018, 01:00
Ever-improving Bundsen set to star for Sweden

EHF EURO KEY PLAYERS: Technical and tactical skill as well as a highly professional attitude - that is what people close to Johanna Bundsen have to say about Sweden’s number one between the posts

Ever-improving Bundsen set to star for Sweden

Over the course of her 74 internationals for Sweden, Johanna Bundsen has proved beyond any doubt that she is a key player for her team.

The 27-year-old shot-stopper from Danish champions Kobenhavn Handball is certain to play a big role if Sweden are to be successful at the upcoming EHF EURO 2018 in France.

When Bundsen or fellow goalkeeper Filippa Idehn do well, Sweden usually do well.

“Johanna is extremely important to our team and her importance has grown over the years, where she has improved her technique almost to perfection,” says Sweden´s national coach Henrik Signell, who was also Bundsen’s club coach for a part of her time in Sävehof.

“Together with Filippa Idehn, Johanna is further proof of how important the goalkeeper is in modern handball and apart from her obvious skills, she also has a very professional attitude and approach to her sport,” adds Signell, who can also feel that returning to the Women’s EHF Champions League this season has been good for his keeper.

“The Danish league is strong in itself, but there is no doubt that she benefits even more from playing against some of the best players in the world on a regular basis.

“This adds to her already great international experience, and furthermore, in the Champions League she meets many of the players she will also be facing at the EURO, and this will inevitably increase her knowledge of them,” states Signell.

A late foreign adventure

Johanna Bundsen began her career in the club Kroppskultur in Uddevalla in western Sweden, but made her breakthrough with IK Sävehof on the outskirts of Gothenburg.

10 years at Sweden’s leading women’s club brought her plenty of Champions League experience above all, while she established herself as the natural first-choice goalkeeper in the Swedish national team.

It was also at Sävehof where she first trained and played under Henrik Signell, who later became her coach in the national team as well.

However, it was another coach, Dane Helle Thomsen, with whom she celebrated her biggest international triumph as she and Sweden won bronze at EHF EURO 2014 in Hungary and Croatia.

Despite this exposure to the international stage, it was only in 2017, at the age of 26, that Bunsden moved across the Øresund bridge to Kobenhavn Handball, with whom she won the Danish championship in her first season and currently enjoying a solid season in Europe’s top flight.

Technically and tactically strong

“She was already a fantastic goalkeeper when she joined us, but she has probably become even better since,” says Claus Mogensen, head coach of Danish champions Kobenhavn Handball.

“She is technically and tactically experienced, so she is obviously a crucial player for our team.

“She played nearly all matches last season as we became Danish champions and this probably says everything about her importance.”

In Kobenhavn, her partner in goal from this season is former Norwegian international Emily Stang Sando.

“It is a bit early to say how this partnership will turn out, but they work very well together – in fact, all three of our goalkeepers do and I am sure that Johanna will benefit from this partnership as well,” says Claus Mogensen.

“I have developed a lot”

“That is nice to hear,” says Johanna Bundsen, in response to the two coaches’ characterisation of her.

“I agree, though. I feel I have developed a lot after moving to Copenhagen.

“I feel I have become a better goalkeeper, and I also think it is important to be tactically well-prepared for every match when you are goalkeeper, it is important to have a great knowledge of the opponent’s shooters,” she finds.

Another medal is obviously the dream ahead of going to France with her team and that dream is not unrealistic, considering Sweden finished fourth at the World Championship in Germany last year.

“It is a good question, how far we can make it this time?

“We are in a very strong group (Group A with Denmark, Poland and Serbia) but we have more less exactly the same players as we had last year, so I am optimistic,” concludes Bundsen.

TEXT: Peter Bruun / cor