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Sweden needed a point to clinch one of the two Olympic spots, but a victory with at least seven goals against Slovenia, with Swedish legend Ljubomir Vranjes as captain of the national team, to win the qualifying group and end up in a clear role. more easy. group at the Summer Olympics.
The blues and yellows did it, with the smallest possible margin. Sunday’s game ended 32-25.
– We show from the first attack that we are there today. Our match plan worked very well, says Niclas Ekberg.
Goalkeeper Andreas Palicka has played big during this weekend’s Olympic qualifiers in Berlin. The 34-year-old sees 2021 as his last chance to play in the Olympics.
– I must admit that it is the first time in my career that I have felt a pleasure mixed with anxiety before a weekend. True. We wanted this more than anything he’s ever done on the handball court, he says.
Just over three minutes from the end of the first half, Andreas Palicka scored, with a careful ball that went all over the field and into an open Slovenian cage. This led Sweden to expand to a five goal lead, 16-11.
Slovenia managed to reduce He did it with a goal and at halftime it was 17-13.
In the second half Slovenia were four, five goals behind for a long time, but towards the end the team got tired.
With the group victory, Sweden will now face teams like Japan, Egypt and Bahrain instead of Denmark, Spain and Argentina in the group stage of the Olympic Games.
Before the match began, Germany had beaten Algeria 34-26, clinching one of the two Olympic spots at stake in the group. Sweden and Germany played tied last Friday, and it was goals that separated the teams.
How was it with the goal difference however, the Swedish players do not seem to have been particularly aware of this.
– We won by seven, then I was told that apparently it is also enough for a group win, says Jim Gottfridsson.
After surprising silver at the World Cup earlier this year, the team has now shown that it is to be expected in the future as well.
– I think this team in a very short time has made some fantastic steps forward, with that being said, I don’t want to stay here and say that medals should be counted in every championship. But with the courage with which we play, that confidence, an incredible calm, yes, it is a lot of fun to play handball here, says Jim Gottfridsson.
