GROUP 2
Norway vs Serbia 35:25 (17:12)
Thursday’s loss against Serbia was a difficult pill to swallow for Norway, as it came in the last second of the match. By no means, Norway were not out of contention for a berth, but they needed to make a statement and definitely delivered one of the best performances since Jonas Wille took over the side, cruising to a 35:25 win. It was a win that virtually helped the Scandinavian side clinch a spot for EHF EURO 2024, only two losses against Finland and Slovakia in the last matches will kick out the silver medallists from EHF EURO 2020. An otherworldly game from Sander Sagosen, who scored 12 goals, helped Norway deliver one of Serbia’s worst-ever losses in the EHF EURO Qualifiers, only their 10th in 50 matches in this competition, but Toni Gerona’s side are also virtually through, being in the same position as Norway.
GROUP 3
Iceland vs Czech Republic 28:19 (15:12)
Four days ago, Iceland were limited to only seven goals scored in the second half in the away game played in the Czech Republic, therefore it was only normal for them to try and avenge this loss. After a well-balanced first half, Iceland went into overdrive in defence and stopped their opponents, who scored only three goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Much of that was thanks to goalkeeper Viktor Halgrimsson, who played a blinder, saving 15 shots for a 57.6% saving efficiency, as the Czech Republic failed to produce the same energy from the first game. The two sides are dominating the standings, with six points each and Iceland holding the tiebreaker, as they are heavily favoured to secure berths for the EHF EURO 2024.
Israel vs Estonia 29:27 (15:13)
Israel broke a six-game losing streak and stayed alive in the hunt for an EHF EURO 2024 berth, after a 29:27 win against Estonia. Four days ago, Estonia took a 30:28 win, with Karl Toom scoring 11 goals, but this game looked totally different. The hosts took control of the match early on and never relinquished it. Goalkeeper Yahav Shamir was crucial for Israel, finishing the match with 10 saves and a 41% saving efficiency, but eventually it was about a team fighting for their status in this group, which truly delivered a good game.