Defending champion Sweden started the European Handball Championship with a confident victory. Coach Glenn Solberg’s team, which was full of numerous Bundesliga players, defeated outsiders Bosnia-Herzegovina in Group E with 29:20 (14:7).
Denmark, world champions three times in a row, also celebrated an opening success. In the 23:14 (9:9) against the Czech Republic in Group F, the favorites needed a clear improvement in performance after the break. Norway beat Poland in Group D with 32:21 (15:10).
The Swedes’ most successful thrower in front of 10,903 spectators in Mannheim was former Flensburg Bundesliga professional Hampus Wanne from FC Barcelona with nine goals. Top star Mikkel Hansen scored five goals for the Danes in Munich.
The Swedes struggled at times and needed more than five minutes to score their first goal. Then, despite several good saves from Bosnian goalkeeper Benjamin Buric from SG Flensburg-Handewitt, they pulled away for the time being. Their own world-class keeper Andreas Palicka, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain after many years at THW Kiel and Rhein-Neckar Löwen, only conceded seven goals in the first half. The Bosnians came out of the locker room well and made the game more exciting again, at least for a while. Overall, Sweden’s victory was safe.
