With one round remaining in Group 2 of the 16th European Championship, the semi-finalists have been determined: Denmark clinched first place, while Sweden secured the second spot.

In an intense derby last Friday that ended in a stalemate—thanks to the referees overruling the lack of a clean sheet against the “Three Crowns” squad—Glenn Solberg’s team has now accomplished their objective.

The reigning champions showcased their prowess against Portugal, defeating them 40:33. Meanwhile, they received favor from the one team that previously beat them—Denmark took on Norway, claimed a 29:23 victory, and paved the way for their eastern neighbors into the semi-finals in Cologne.

During the match against Portugal, Lukas Pelas netted 10 goals, Felix Klar added six, and the backbone of the Swedish national team, Jim Gotfridsson, contributed four goals and seven assists.

For Portugal, the siblings Martim stood out with eight goals, while Kiko Košta added six, and Luis Frade ended with seven goals.

For Sweden to secure their semi-final position, Denmark needed at least a draw against Norway—the only team with a chance to advance.

The current world champions swiftly resolved the matter in the first half, quickly establishing an eight-goal lead, marking their sixth victory in Germany.

Hans Lindberg, Matthias Gidsel, and Simon Pitlik each scored five goals, while Emil Nilsen recorded 15 saves. For the Vikings, Aleksandre Blonz scored five goals, and Sander Sagosen added four.

Earlier in the day, Slovenia triumphed over the Netherlands with a score of 37:34, eliminating them from Olympic qualification contention.

The winning side was led by Gašper Marguč, Nejc Cehte, and Kristjan Horžen, who each scored six goals. Nils Fersteinen notably stood out with a remarkable 15 goals.

Tomorrow promises even more excitement in Group 1 in Cologne. France could secure a semi-final spot with a win over Austria, although Hungary, Germany, and even Croatia, which currently has one point, are all vying for the medals.

Additionally, Iceland, currently zero points, is not without motivation—if they defeat Croatia today and Austria on Wednesday, they would clinch the final spot for Olympic qualifications.

To achieve this, they must earn at least four points, as both Austria and Portugal have that tally, placing them firmly in contention for the additional spots designated for Europe.

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