Spain and France win at the start – Day 1 of the WOMEN’S EHF EURO 2024 in Basel is over and the first round of Group C has been played. Two favourites win at the start.
- Spain – Portugal 30:24 (12:12). Spain came to Switzerland full of confidence after beating world champions France in the warm-up. However, they struggled at the start of their home game against the Portuguese. In the second half, however, Carmen Campos and Carmen Arroyo took control of the game and gave the Spaniards a comfortable four-goal lead by the 40th minute. The favourites then took the game home in style.
- France 35-22 (18-10). The world champions got off to a flying start. France raced into a 4-1 lead over Poland after just three minutes and the favourites never looked back, holding on to top spot in Group C after the first matchday. Goalkeeper Glauser was the man of the match.
The Organising Committee got off to a successful start in Basel. 2669 spectators attended the first matches of the Women’s European Championship finals on Swiss soil. For Friday’s game against the Faroe Islands, the EHF and SHV are expecting more than twice as many fans – over 4,500. The last tickets are available at Ticketcorner and at the box office. The European Championship on the Rhine is definitely on!
Day 2 – BaselSwitzerland wins its home debut at the WOMEN’S EHF EURO 2024 in the St. Jakobshalle in Basel against the Faroe Islands 28:25 (13:7) and has really kicked off the tournament.
- 4670 fans transform Basel’s St. Jakobshalle into a red-and-white party venue even before the game begins. The national anthem creates a goosebump atmosphere. The players let themselves be infected by the atmosphere and celebrate a 28:25 victory over the Faroe Islands. Daphne Gautschi is Switzerland’s top scorer with 8 goals and centre Tabea Schmid is voted Best Player. It is the first ever victory for a Swiss women’s national team at a European Championship final round and another milestone in the upswing of national women’s handball.
- In Friday’s second match, the favourites from Denmark beat Croatia by a clear 34:26, although the Croatians were on an equal footing until shortly after half-time. Michala Elsberg Moller was the top scorer with seven goals, while Croatia’s Katarina Pavlovic scored six times.
The number of the day is 4056, which is exactly the number of fans that will turn the St. Jakobshalle into a madhouse on Saturday, 30 November. It is a wonderful backdrop for a European Championship day on which the host nation Switzerland is taking a break.
- Poland-Portugal 22:21 Portugal’s attempt to win for the first time at this year’s European Championship fails after a very physical game. The Lusitanians are never ahead and ultimately lose out. However, Portugal almost had the chance to draw, but two goals from Aleksandra Rosiak towards the end of the game decided the match.
- France-Spain 24:22 The second game is also a tight affair. Spain, who had already been a stumbling block for the favourites from France in the European Championship preparations, also put up a good fight in Basel, leading by three goals at times. However, the world champions turned the tide in the second half. They were cheered on by a mostly french-speaking crowd that created a great atmosphere.
With this victory, France has already qualified for the main round. Poland and Spain will play the ‘final’ for second place on Monday at 6 pm.