Dortmund witnessed a handball classic with Serbia and the Faroe Islands doing battle at the Westfalenhalle to keep themselves in contention for a possible quarter-final spot at the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship.

In the end, the points were shared with the teams drawing 31:31 in a dramatic finale full of incident.

The draw puts Serbia on five points, behind leaders Germany (6) and ahead of Montenegro (4) points, while Faroe Islands now sit on three points, in fourth.

Main Round, Group II
Serbia vs Faroe Islands 31:31 (16:14)

After their eight-goal turnaround win against Spain last time out, Serbia come into this opening clash of the second day of main round, group II knowing that a win would put joint top of the group with Germany on six points – at least for a few hours.

But world championship debutants the Faroe Islands had different ideas. And as Spain know from their preliminary group clash in Trier, the first-timers are well-experienced in tense situations.

The first half saw Serbia lead throughout, except for an early 4:3 lead by their opponents, going ahead by three at numerous points as the Faroes desperately aimed to keep in touch by the half-time break (10:7, 16th minute/13:10, 23rd) which they did, going in just two down.

The game followed the same pattern into the second period but when the Faroes’ goalkeeper Annika Fridheim Petersen (3 saves), Rakul Wardum came on and turned the game in their favour, making a key save from Serbian winger Sanja Radosavljevic in the 44th minute (23:23)

It got worse for Serbia soon after as Teodora Veličković was shown a direct red card for a defending foul after video review with captain Pernille Brandenborg then sinking home the penalty for their second lead (24:23, 45th minute).

Moments later, the Faroes had a chance to go ahead by two, but winger Liv Sveinbjornsdottir Poulsen saw her shot saved by Jovana Risović in the Serbian goal (47th minute) – one of the heroes against Spain – and Serbia’s reliable Dragana Cvijić delivered the equaliser from the line (25:25).

The Faroes then managed to push ahead by two (28:26) after Serbia’s Jovana Jovovic had the ball stolen from her by Anna Elisabeth Weyhe.

But you can never discount the Serbian mentality and spirit to win as a late double from Jovana Skrobic put her side ahead once again (31:30) with less than a minute remaining after Brandenborg’s seven-metre had been saved by Risovic.

And those remaining 59 seconds were incredible. 

A Faroe Islands timeout settled the nerves, with the impressive Suna Hansen breaking through, but seeing her shot saved incredibly by Risovic, her magic left foot pushing the ball wide and out, to cue massive celebrations from the player, jumping for joy on court, and from the bench with hugs all around.

It seemed all over for the Faroes and a Serbian time out with 21 seconds remaining should have seen the game put to bed but with the clock being counted down Serbia played keep ball.

Jovana Jovovic was played through into clear space on the edge of the Faroe Islands nine-metre line and instead of shooting, paused, causing an immediate turnover and then interfering with the Faroes subsequent free-throw.

The action went to video review with a direct red card shown to Jovovic and the awarding of a seven-metre throw to the Faroes.

So, with just seven seconds remaining, the ball went straight down to the Serbian goal and who else but Jana Mittun stepped up to sink home for her 10th goal of the game and the draw to spark wild celebrations from the Faroe Islands squad and vocal fans in the arena and shock and disbelief from Serbia.

“I just had to score,” said Jana Mittun about the pressure at the end. “It was really fun. It was up and down the whole game and I am sad we didn’t win.”

hummel Player of the Match: Jana Mittun (Faroe Islands)