The top European sides, which are already qualified for the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, entered the fray last week in the EHF EURO 2024 Qualifiers, with four other teams – reigning European champions Norway and the co-hosts of the competition, Hungary, Austria and Switzerland – featuring in the EHF EURO Cup 2024.

The biggest surprise of the week was a draw secured by Türkiye against Serbia, 29:29, which could have a big impact towards the first-ever appearance of Türkiye in the European premium competition, as the EHF EURO 2024 will be the maiden edition with 24 teams at the start.

Two of the co-hosts of the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, Denmark and Sweden, registered huge wins, as they are getting ready for the world handball flagship competition. 

Sweden threw off their campaign with a 37:20 win over the Faroe Islands, doubling down with a 39:17 over Luxembourg, who made their debut in the EHF EURO Qualifiers. The top goal scorer of the 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship, Nathalie Hagman, scored 12 goals over the two matches.

Denmark delivered two big wins over Kosovo, 44:17 and 40:19 in Horsens and Prishtina, with left back Kristina Jørgensen scoring 12 goals over the two matches, as Jesper Jensen’s side conceded the third lowest number of goals at the start of the EHF EURO 2024 Qualifiers.

No team conceded less goals than France, which looked more than ready for the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, as Olivier Krumbholz’s side is aiming for a medal at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023.

France started with a 51:16 win over Italy, doubling down with the largest win in the last week for any side, 55:8, against Latvia, their largest-ever win in the history of the EHF EURO Qualifiers, as well as the largest-ever win in the history of this phase of the competition.

Wings Chloe Valentini (21 goals) and Alicia Toublanc (20 goals) were France’s top scorers in these two matches, feeding on the fast breaks provided by the excellent defence, which conceded only 24 goals.

Romania also recorded two big wins, 49:17 against Bosnia Herzegovina and 32:20 over Greece, two results also secured by Croatia, which had some injury woes, with Valentina Blazevic, Katarina Jezic and Ivana Kapitanovic out due to injuries.

Ukraine delivered an excellent win over Slovakia, 25:20, while Germany dominated Ukraine in the first match, 31:24, in Group 2, while in Group 3 the Netherlands and the Czech Republic got closer to securing a place at the EHF EURO 2024, with wins over Portugal and Finland.

In Group 5, Ambros Martin made his official debut for Spain with two clear wins, 47:14 against Lithuania and 38:18 over Azerbaijan, while in Group 7, Iceland, who will be featuring at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship thanks to a wild card, followed in Sweden’s footsteps, with a 32:14 win over Luxembourg and a 28:23 win over the Faroe Islands.

In the EHF EURO Cup 2024, Norway delivered two big wins, 38:31 over Hungary and 44:29 over Switzerland, having all their stars at their disposal, bar goalkeeper Katrine Lunde. Back Henny Reistad also featured only in the first match, where she scored six goals, being her team’s top scorer.

Austria lost both matches, against Switzerland (27:33) and Hungary (32:34), giving serious food for thought for coach Herbert Muller, before his team features in Group C at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, where they face Norway, the Republic of Korea and Greenland. 

Photo credit: Federația Română de Handbal - Mihai Nicolae