GROUP 3
Georgia vs Iceland 25:30 (13:14)
Iceland secured back-to-back wins in this group and extended their winning streak in the EHF EURO Qualifiers to five matches, only one shy of their all-time record. Yet the match against Georgia, a tough opponent on their home court, was far from a walk in the park. Georgia’s Giorgi Dikhaminjia scored nine goals, but Iceland had an excellent Ómar Ingi Magnusson, who scored seven goals, to counter Georgia’s first-half performance and secure their second win, 30:25, in a match where they also scored the 2500th goal in their history in the EHF EURO Qualifiers.
GROUP 4
Latvia vs Spain 29:38 (15:20)
Four days ago, Spain earned a hard-fought win against Italy (31:30) and the first half against Latvia was once again uninspiring for the bronze medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. But a 7:2 run fueled by right wing Kauldi Odriozola and right back Imanol Garciandia lifted Spain to a five-goal lead, which proved to be the pivotal moment of the match. The inexperienced Latvian side had no power to mount a comeback, which saw Spain seal their second win in a row and make a big step towards the EHF EURO 2026, with their 45th win in the Qualifiers.
Italy vs Serbia 31:30 (13:14)
After qualifying for the World Championship and losing by a single goal in the EHF EURO 2026 Qualifiers against Spain in the first match, Italy delved yet another shocker, with a 31:30 win over Serbia, blowing the group wide open. Mikael Helmersson scored eight goals in a fantastic comeback for the hosts, which are aiming to return to the EHF EURO for the first time since 1998, a 28-year-wait, currently the longest drought in history for a single team. On the other hand, Serbia need to bounce back in the next matches, as they will lament the missed chances in this performance.
GROUP 5
Belgium vs Czechia 15:31 (9:14)
The lowest number of conceded goals by Czechia in an EHF EURO Qualifier was 16, against Slovenia, in 1994. 30 years later, Xavi Sabate’s side delivered their best defensive performance in this competition, letting Belgium score only 15 goals, while goalkeeper Tomas Mrkva finished the match with 13 saves and a 48.1 per cent saving efficiency. Czechia have the best defensive record in the competition, with only 32 conceded goals in the two matches played so far.
GROUP 6
Kosovo vs Netherlands 33:33 (19:17)
The Netherlands hobbled against Ukraine in the first match and did not look too convincing either against Kosovo, with the hosts being close to one of their biggest wins in history in the EHF EURO Qualifiers, after the one against Romania. At one point in the second half, Kosovo had a four-goal lead, 24:20, as Valon Dedaj and Drenit Tahikuraj combined for 15 goals. The Dutch side eventually bounced back and Rutger ten Velde scored 12 goals to see a Luc Steins-less team eventually earn a draw, 33:33.
Ukraine vs Faroe Islands 35:32 (14:17)
The Faroe Islands looked close to secure their second win in as many matches in Group 6 and edge closer to back-to-back appearances at the EHF EURO, after their debut in 2024. But Ukraine bounced back, thanks to a fantastic match from their top scorer, Ihor Turchenko. After putting nine goals past the Netherlands, Turchenko had a clinical match, adding 11 goals for Ukraine, which turned a three-goal deficit at the break to a three-goal win, 35:32, lifting Ukraine to their maiden win in these Qualifiers.
GROUP 7
Türkiye vs Germany 29:36 (14:20)
Lukas Zerbe and Marko Grgic scored eight goals each, fueling a high-octane Germany attack, which secured the second win in this group, taking a commanding lead in the standings. After scoring 35 goals against Switzerland, Germany had 36 against Türkiye, dominating the match from start to finish. It was the 58th win in the EHF EURO Qualifiers for Germany, which also scored their 2000th goal in this phase of the competition when Renars Uscins scored the fourth goal for Germany in the match.
GROUP 8
Romania vs Poland 27:28 (9:15)
Poland had a nine-goal lead in the first half and an eight-goal lead in the second half, but still somehow found a way to blow it, four days after they drew against Israel, 32:32. Goalkeeper Adam Morawski was superb in the first half, with a 48 per cent saving efficiency, but Romania had a better second half, using a 9:2 run to tie the score. But once again, Romania faltered and the time expired just as Poland was called into passive play, with the guests taking a 28:27 win, as Romania conceded the second loss in as many matches, with their chances of qualification being slimmer and slimmer.
Portugal vs Israel 36:23 (21:13)
Portugal have the joint-best attacking performance after two rounds, with 73 goals scored, after a fantastic outing against Israel, three days removed after scoring 37 goals against Romania. The two Costa brothers, Martim and Francisco, were the best scorer in the match for Portugal, combining for 11 goals, while all of Portugal’s outfield players scored at least once.
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Publish date : 2024-11-10 11:20:00
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