Defending champion Spain and runner-up Sweden followed Denmark into the semi-finals of the European Handball Championship. While the European champions secured progress in the final main round game in Bratislava on Tuesday with a difficult 28:27 (14:13) against Poland, a real drama took place between Sweden and Norway.
After a memorable final phase, the Swedish record European champion won the game 24:23 (9:14) and bought the ticket for the medal games in Budapest.
It is not yet clear which of the two top nations will fight for the final against world champions Denmark on Friday. This depends on the outcome of the main round group 1, in which the decision will be made on Wednesday. There, Olympic champions France and Iceland fight in a long-distance duel for progress alongside Denmark. The final will also take place in the Hungarian capital on Sunday.
In the 55th minute, Sweden was still 19:23 behind the Norwegians around the Kiel star player Sander Sagosen. Thanks to a 5-0 run, the World Cup runners-up and the outstanding Flensburg playmaker Jim Gottfridsson still turned the game around in the Ondreja Nepelu Arena.
Valter Chrintz from Füchsen Berlin made the decision with a converted penalty eleven seconds before the end. The subsequent last attack by the Norwegians, who in the meantime had led by six goals, was missed by Sagosen from the back four seconds before the final siren.
Spain right winger Ferran Sole was the top scorer with five goals against Poland for the tournament favorites, who qualified for European Championship medals for the sixth straight season.
The EM champion of 2020 and 2018 was in the lead for almost the entire season, but had to throw everything into the balance against the outsider in front of 1432 spectators. Goalkeeper Rodrigo Corrales saved the narrow victory with a spectacular double save in the final minute.
The German team of national coach Alfred Gislason had no chance of reaching the semi-finals. The selection of the German Handball Federation (DHB) ended the main round group 2 after the 30:29 against Russia in fourth place. Norway finished third and is playing for fifth place.