Iceland qualify for 2023 IHF Men's Junior World Championship

The bottom half of the final standings at the Men's 20 EHF EURO 2022 in Portugal have been confirmed after the conclusion of Saturday's four placement matches.

Iceland are the 12th European team to clinch a spot at the 2023 IHF Men's Junior World Championship, after securing a 45:34 win against Italy, joining Portugal, Spain, Serbia, Sweden, Denmark, France, Hungary, Slovenia, the Faroe Islands, and co-hosts Greece and Germany.

• Iceland qualified for the 12th time for the IHF Men's Junior World Championship and tied their record for the most goals scored in a game – set in 2004 against Latvia – with their 45:34 win against Italy
• in their first participation at the M20 EHF EURO, Italy finished 12th, winning two games out of seven played, and Nicola Fadanelli (44 goals) and Thomas Bartoli (40 goals) are currently among the top 10 scorers in the competition
• at their maiden M20 EHF EURO, the Faroe Islands finished in 10th place and secured qualification for the 2023 IHF Men's Junior World Championship. They secured three wins in seven games but lost 28:25 against reigning champions Slovenia in the 9-10 placement match
• Croatia lost 33:31 against Poland after penalties and recorded their worst finish – 14th place – in the competition since finishing 16th in 2008
• in their first participation at the M20 EHF EURO, Montenegro lost all seven games played and finished last. Norway beat Montenegro 30:22 to secure 15th place

Iceland end on a high at the M20 EHF EURO 2022

With a place at the 2023 IHF Men’s Junior World Championship at stake, the match between Iceland and Italy was the most important match on Saturday at the M20 EHF EURO 2022. It proved to be the highest-scoring game of the competition, as Iceland tied their record for the most goals scored in a match.

Despite their 10th place in the final standings, it was a successful tournament for the Faroe Islands. Backs Hakon West av Teigum (39 goals), Elias Ellefsen a Skipagotu (29 goals) and Óli Mittun (28 goals) set the competition alight with their superb skills, combining for 41 per cent of their team's goals and setting the standard for when they make the step to the senior national team.

Norway, whose 15th-place finish is their worst in history, and Croatia, who recorded their second-worst finish in the competition, will be surely disappointed with their performances and will try to bounce back in the future.

Saturday's results

Placement match 9-10
Slovenia vs Faroe Islands 28:25 (12:11)

Placement match 11-12
Iceland vs Italy 45:34 (23:15)

Placement match 13-14
Poland vs Croatia 33:31 (13:13, 29:29) — after a penalty shootout

Placement match 15-16
Montenegro vs Norway 22:30 (14:15)