Tournament 1: Sweden eye Olympic Games berth against Argentina

20 Mar. 2021

Tournament 1: Sweden eye Olympic Games berth against Argentina

After conceding a point to Spain in the last second, Sweden can still earn their fourth consecutive Olympic Games berth in a row provided they win against Argentina.

Sweden vs Argentina 18:15 CET

Leading for the most part of the game against Spain even by five goals with 11 minutes to go, it was not enough for Sweden to clinch their first win in five years against “Las Guerreras”.

But the 28:28 draw still puts Sweden in a comfortable position to try and win the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020 – Women’s Tournament 1 hosted by Spain in Llíria.

The new-look Scandinavian side is still trying to grasp life without influential centre back Isabelle Gullden, who retired from international handball last December, after the end of the EHF EURO 2020 in Denmark.

“We could have won the match, but our mistake in the last minute cost us. Now we face Argentina and this is a game we must win,” said Sweden’s coach, Tomas Axner, after the draw against Spain.

This could be Sweden’s fourth Olympic Games berth in a row, continuing a run that started at Beijing 2008.

“Our team is an interesting mix of young players with more experienced ones, therefore the ceiling is high, but the first step for success is qualifying for Tokyo 2020. Next, we will also eye Paris 2024,” added Axner.

Sweden are overwhelming favourites against the South American side, who are set to make their debut at the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020. The ask is high for a side that has never won a competitive game against a European side, but the Argentinian team is brimming with confidence.

“We play against two very good European teams, we know how hard it is, but we are up for the challenge. Everybody thinks that we will be the team that we lose two matches, but we can be good,” said Argentinian centre back Elke Karsten for ihf.info.

However, the four mutual meeting between the two sides ended in routs, with Argentina closing the gap slowly. Sweden beat Argentina 37:11 at the IHF Women’s World Championship in 2011, in their highest win between the two sides, but the gap fell only to seven goals, 30:23, two years ago, at Japan 2019. 

Five years ago, at Rio 2016, when Argentina won their first-ever Olympic Games berth, Sweden took a commanding 31:21 win.

Argentina will not be out of contention if they lose on Saturday, but they will be facing a must-win game against hosts Spain on Sunday.

On the other hand, a win would seal the Olympic Games berth for Sweden, while a draw between the two sides would require Argentina to draw against Spain and score less than 27 goals in order for Sweden to go through.

Photo: RFEBM / J. L. Recio