Six teams qualify for the EHF EURO 2016

Six teams secured their place at the Women’s EHF EURO 2016 in Sweden in Round 5 of the qualification phase on Wednesday.

Norway, Romania, Serbia, the Netherlands, Hungary and Poland, all playing away, recorded the expected wins to secure their places at the final tournament, while Group 4 is wide open after a surprise win for Slovenia against Croatia.  

Group 1: Belarus vs Norway 22:32 (9:15)

In contrast with the tactics of other teams ahead of their Round 5 qualification matches this week, which saw many coaches including Henk Groener and the Hungary pairing of Ambros Martin and Gabor Elek confident of a win and therefore choosing to leave some of their star players off the start list, Norway showed they were not taking any chances when it came to securing their place in Sweden.

The only big name missing from their squad was Heide Loke, so Belarus welcomed a near full-strength Norway team for their second meeting of the qualification phase.

The first three goals of the match were scored by the visitors, after which Belarus began to find the net. They trailed behind the current European champions, however, with the biggest score line of the half coming when Stine Oftedal put Norway in front 12:4 with just over 10 minutes left in the period.

But a stronger 10 minutes for the visitors followed, and they recorded a 5:3 run that closed the gap to a more attainable six goals by half-time.

The early difference would prove too much to overcome however. Norway maintained control through the second period with a comfortable seven-goal advantage at 25:18 with 10 minutes left on the clock.

At the full-time whistle Norway recorded a 10-goal win, adding the crucial two points to their tally that booked their place at the final tournament. Belarus remain on four points ahead of Lithuania, still on zero following their defeat to Romania.  

Group 1: Lithuania vs Romania 24:34 (11:20)

Romania were another side expected to record the comfortable win they did on Wednesday, which takes them to eight points on the table and secures their spot in Sweden.

Cristina Neagu was missing from the visitors’ start list, as might have been expected given coach Thomas Ryde’s tactics in their second-leg fixture against Norway in Round 4, when the left back spent the match on the bench.

Ryde was quickly proved correct in his confidence when Romania had no trouble creating a 12:4 advantage by midway through the first half.

It was a well-earned lead with almost every player shooting at 100 per cent and three goals each for Valentina Ardean Elisei, Eliza Iulia Buceschi and Florina Chintoan in the first 15 minutes.

By the time the half-time whistle sounded the visitors were in front by nine goals and looking strong to secure their qualification for the tournament in December.

As the match progressed almost every Romanian player made their way onto the score board, with Chintoan finishing the top scorer for the visiting side with six goals.

Despite seven goals from Brigita Ivanauskaite, Lithuania could not come close to the World Championship 2015 bronze medallists, and Romania secured a 10-goal victory.

Group 2: Ukraine vs Serbia 26:31 (12:15)

In a high-scoring first half Serbia raced ahead to a 3:0 lead after five minutes, after which Ukraine joined their visitors on the score board.

The home side’s slow opening meant they were chasing Serbia through the first half, coming within one goal for the first time at 6:7 just before the 15-minute mark.

Serbia maintained a narrow edge but the difference now fluctuated between just …

continue reading in source www.eurohandball.com