Sweden deliver fantastic performance to win third crown at the M18 EHF EURO

Sweden were crowned champions for the third time in history at the M18 EHF EURO, after a dramatic final against Denmark, which needed a penalty shoot-out, as the Scandinavian side eventually took a 37:36 win to clinch their third crown, after the ones in 1997 and 2018.

This was the first edition of the continental competition with 24 teams at the start, with the sides being divided into six groups of four teams each, with the winner of each group, plus the best second-placed side in Groups A-C and the best second-placed side in Groups D-F making it into the main round.

After the preliminary round of the competition which took place in Podgorica, Montenegro, six teams still boasted a 100% record – Serbia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Iceland – with Norway and Hungary joining them into the main round, as the best sides which finished on the second place in Groups A-C and D-F respectively.

In the main round, only one team stayed unbeaten, Denmark, which finished first in Group I, albeit after a draw against Serbia, 29:29, while Hungary also secured their tickets for the semi-finals, with crucial wins against Germany (25:20) and Serbia (36:33).

In Group II, Sweden, Iceland and Spain both finished with four points, but the first two sides were Sweden and Iceland, as the three-way tie went their way by a single goal, with Sweden winning the group.

In the semi-finals, Denmark took control of the match against Iceland and delivered a 34:26 win, with Oskar Møller Jakobsen scoring eight goals, while Sweden totally outplayed Hungary with a 39:27 win, where Nikola Roganovic scored eight goals, after a fantastic display in the second half.

Therefore, the final was going to be an all-Scandinavian affair and it went to the wire, in one of the most balanced finals in the history of the competition. After the regular 60 minutes, the game was tied, 29:29, therefore the match went to extra-time, where Sweden deployed a 4:0 run, to clinch a 37:36 win and their third title, after the ones in 1997 and 2018.

Roganovic, the MVP of the competition, was once again the top scorer for Sweden, with six goals, with the Scandinavian side eventually delivering a fantastic overall performance, with a single loss throughout the whole competition.

"We have focused all this year on the fact that we need to get better at playing defense and above all that we need to get better at playing an international defense game. Throughout the tournament we have had a good defence and when we have also had saves in the last part of the tournament, it has made us even better. This is a victory for the Swedish model. From a technical, tactical and physical point of view, the players are well trained, which has been key for us because we have trained a lot when we have been together," said Sweden's coach, Toni Johansson, according to the official website of the Swedish Handball Association.

In the bronze medal match, Hungary secured their first medal after 10 years at this level, with a 36:34 win against Iceland, mounting a comeback in the last 15 minutes of the match.

M18 EHF EURO 2024 – All-Star team
Goalkeeper: Frederik Møller Wolff (DEN)
Right wing: Hugo Vila López (ESP)
Right back: Oskar Møller Jakobsen (DEN)
Centre back: Dagur Árni Heimisson (ISL)
Left back: Djordje Drasko (SRB)
Left wing: Yoni Peyrabout (FRA)
Line player: Bennet Strobel (GER)
Best defender: Maté Fazekas (HUN)
MVP: Nikola Roganovic (SWE)
Top scorer: Asaf Sharon - 79 goals (ISR)

Final standings:

1.Sweden
2. Denmark
3. Hungary

4. Iceland, 5. Germany, 6. Serbia, 7. Norway, 8. Spain, 9. Slovenia, 10. Portugal, 11. Switzerland, 12. France, 13. Croatia, 14. Czechia, 15. Faroe Islands, 16. Austria, 17. Israel, 18. Poland, 19. North Macedonia, 20. Greece, 21. Italy, 22. Romania, 23. Montenegro, 24. Ukraine 

Photo credit: Stefan Ivanovic / EHF / RSCG