The Swiss women's handball team reach the main round for the first time in their second European Championship appearance. Coach Knut Ove Joa's team won the decisive game against Croatia 26:22 in Basel.
03.12.2024, 22:09
03.12.2024, 22:12
SDA
The Swiss never trailed and pulled away from 5:5 (12th) to 15:6 (26th). However, as in the opening game against the Faroe Islands (28:25), in which they had to tremble after leading 19:9, they allowed the Croatians to close the gap again.
In the 40th minute, the hosts only led 17:15 in front of 3,826 spectators in the St. Jakobshalle, but it did not get any tighter after that and the Swiss kept their nerve. After 19:15 (41'), the lead was always at least three goals, and after 26:20 (59') at the latest, there was no longer any doubt about the outcome of the game. Tabea Schmid and Era Baumann each contributed six goals to the victory.
The two teams had already met two years ago in the preliminary round of the Swiss women's premiere European Championship. Since then, the very young Swiss team has developed enormously, which they underlined impressively against the Eastern Europeans. The Croatians won European Championship bronze in 2020.
The Swiss women move on to Vienna for the main round, where they will face Germany on Thursday. Their other opponents will be Slovenia (Saturday), the Netherlands (Monday) and finally Olympic champions Norway (Wednesday).
