20.04.2022, 11:00
Sweden make it to the EHF EURO in style

GROUP 6 REVIEW: Axner's team qualify for their 13th European Championship by beating Iceland clearly

Since 2002, the Swedish team is a constant participant at the Women’s EHF EURO final tournaments - and this series continues at the 2022 event. The team of head coach Tomas Axner was the sixth to book their ticket from the qualifiers and the tenth - including hosts Slovenia, Montenegro and North Macedonia and defending champions Norway- to be confirmed after winning at Iceland 29:23 on Wednesday. 

GROUP 6 

Iceland vs Sweden 23:29 (12:17) 

• winning their fourth of five qualification matches means that Sweden are already confirmed group winners - the second rank will be decided between Iceland and Serbia on Saturday 
• the 29:23 victory at Hafnarfjordur was the eighth consecutive win of a Swedish team against Iceland - and only the fourth in four official matches 
• Boosted by the goals of Tut Jonsdottir, the hosts were on an equal level until 13:11, then Sweden decisively pulled ahead to 19:12 via a 6:1 run, the biggest gap was eight goals at 24:16 
• top scorers were Jonsdottir with six goals and the Swedish players Jamina Roberts, Nathalie Hagman and Elin Hansson with five goals each 
• Iceland still have a chance to qualify for their third ever EHF EURO after 2010 and 2012, if they win in Serbia on Saturday - what they did on home ground in the first leg by a 23:21 

Sweden win their group for the third time 

For the third time after the EHF EURO 2012 and 2014 qualifications, Sweden have finished top of their group. In total, the 29:23 on Wednesday was their 43rd victory in 61 EHF EURO qualification matches. The 2010 silver and 2014 bronze medallists will have their 13^th EHF EURO ahead in Slovenia, Montenegro and North Macedonia - the 11^th consecutive one since 2002. In 2020, Sweden finished on the 11^th position, but only some months later made it to the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

TEXT: EHF / Björn Pazen