The Dutch women’s handball team have secured a group win in the European Championship qualifying group with a win against Germany.
In the Top Sports Center of Rotterdam, the team of national coach Per Johansson won 30-29. Three Limburgers play in the Orange squad: Inger Smits from Geleen, Larissa Nusser from Born and Claudia Rompen from Mechelen. The handball women were already certain of the European Championship with a regulatory victory over Belarus.
Also read: Handball women sure of European Championship after regulatory victory
Backlog
After a deficit of 17-15 at half time and 27-23 in the second half, the Orange did not seem to secure the ticket on Saturday. In the final phase, however, the Netherlands still made the difference. Lois Abbingh scored two important goals in the final phase, including the winning.
Angela Malestein was the top scorer for Johansson’s team with six goals, followed by Zoë Sprengers with five goals and Abbingh and Danick Snelder with four each.
Also won away match
The handball players had already won against Germany on Thursday. Previously, the Netherlands was too strong for Greece and Belarus. Belarus has been excluded from further participation due to the war in Ukraine. The best two countries of the group can go to the European Championship, which is from 4 to 20 November in Slovenia, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Germany has the best chance of that second ticket. The Netherlands will close the qualifying series on Sunday 24 April with a meeting with Greece.
At the previous European Championship, in 2020 in Denmark, the Netherlands did not get further than sixth place.