19.04.2021, 02:20
Open chances and big leads to defend

ROUND PREVIEW: While some teams set for the second-leg play-offs have Spain in their sights, other ties could go either way

After Hungary clinched their Women’s World Championship 2021 berth with a convincing victory in the second leg of their qualification play-off tie on Sunday night, nine other teams will follow suit on Tuesday and Wednesday when the round is completed.

For some sides, the advantage after the first leg is decisive and the final tournament in Spain in December can clearly be seen on the horizon. For others, the situation is completely open — and some teams have the chance to celebrate an historic moment.

All matches wil be streamed live on EHFTV, with geoblocking restrictions. 

• Slovenia, Sweden, Romania and Russia all enter the second leg with a lead of at least 10 goals. Slovenia beat Iceland 24:14, Sweden defeated Ukraine 28:14, Romania won 33:22 against North Macedonia and Russia took a 35:23 victory versus Turkey in leg one
• Serbia and Germany will aim to protect clear but not as decisive advantages — Serbia defeated Slovakia 26:19 in the first leg, Germany won 32:27 against Portugal and Montenegro beat Belarus 29:23
• four teams have completely open chances, after Czech Republic vs Switzerland ended 27:27 and Austria vs Poland saw a result of 29:29
• if Romania qualify, they will extend the record as the only nation to reach all World Championships. Turkey, Portugal and Switzerland are the three teams on the other end of the scale — hoping to make their debut at Spain 2021
• Macedonian Sara Ristovska is the top scorer of the qualification phase so far, with 29 goals in four matches, as her side started in qualification phase 1

Two ties starting from scratch

Two of the qualification play-off ties are set to be decided completely by the second leg, after the opening fixtures ended in a draw — and all involve teams who did not make it to the last World Championship, in Japan in 2019.

In the first leg, Czech Republic and Switzerland drew 27:27 and Austria and Poland drew 29:29.

Czech Republic and Poland both contested the World Championship in 2017, where Czech Republic recorded their first ever final ranking inside the top 10 (eighth) and Poland finished a disappointing 17th following back-to-back semi-final appearances at the event.

Austria last played the World Championship in 2009, while Switzerland have never reached the global tournament.

Women’s World Championship 2021 qualification play-offs — second leg

Tuesday 20 April

Montenegro vs Belarus 17:00 CEST — live on EHFTV
Portugal vs Germany 17:30 CEST — live on EHFTV
Austria vs Poland 18:00 CEST — live on EHFTV
Turkey vs Russia 18:30 CEST — live on EHFTV
Czech Republic vs Switzerland 20:15 CEST — live on EHFTV

Wednesday 21 April

North Macedonia vs Romania 17:00 CEST — live on EHFTV
Serbia vs Slovakia 18:00 CEST — live on EHFTV
Sweden vs Ukraine 18:10 CEST — live on EHFTV
Iceland vs Slovenia 21:45 CEST — live on EHFTV

TEXT: EHF / Courtney Gahan