After their below-par start, Norway began to play faster and with top performances by Vilde Ingstad and Silje Solberg between the posts, they ended the group phase with three wins to take the maximum four points to the main round. Hungary, however, will start the next phase on zero.
GROUP A
Norway vs Hungary 32:22 (14:12)
- Hungary surprised Norway at the start of the match, leading 3:0 (and later 6:3) and not letting the defending champions score a goal for seven minutes
- Norway finally managed to catch up with Hungary 15 minutes into the first half, but the main turnover of the first half was when Malin Aune scored for Norway's first lead in the match (12:11)
- the Hungarian side was keeping up with Norway until the 37th minute; Norway went on a four-goal run setting a six-goal difference which was decisive for the match
- Norwegian goalkeeper Silje Solberg built a wall finishing the night with 21 saves at 49% save efficiency; her teammates Katrine Lunde did not stand between the posts but still became the outright record holder for most matches played at European Championships: 55
- Stine Oftedal's goal for 4:6 in the first half marked her 120th EHF EURO goal
- after scoring eight goals, the Player of the Match award went to Vilde Ingstad; Katrin Klujber was the Hungarian top scorer with six goals
Norway's new milestone
The game against Hungary was Norway's 109th EHF EURO match in their long and decorated tournament history. Defeating Hungary 32:22 marked their 90th victory, leaving them 10 short of reaching the unprecedented milestone of 100 wins in the competitions. If Tuesday win over Hungary will be an omen? Norway have previously defeated them in all eight EHF EURO tourrnaments they have won so far: in 1996, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2020. Norway have also continued their perfect streak, which is now at 15 wins, leaving them just one short of their longest winning run from the 2004-06 period.
Norway head coach Thorir Hergeirsson: “Hungary played well in the first half. We had some struggles to stop them. Silje Solberg in goal, she started a fire and it helped our players in the second half. After that we played better, we maybe had more energy and experience than Hungary.”
Hungary centre back Petra Vamos: “I am really happy with how we well played in the first half. After the matches against Switzerland and Croatia, we stepped it up a lot. We have to keep this speed that we experienced against Norway and I hope we can improve in attack and in defence, also for the upcoming matches.”
