The Women’s EHF EURO 2024 semi-final line-up was completed in the second last match of the main round in Vienna, when Denmark defeated the Netherlands 30:26 to join France, Norway and Hungary in the battle for the title.
Norway had secured first place in group II on the previous main round day, Monday, thanks to their perfect record of wins so far at the EHF EURO 2024. The results up to Wednesday’s games left Denmark and the Netherlands in a direct encounter to decide the semi-final spot, and it was the Scandinavian side who clinched it after leading throughout the match.
Denmark have now booked a semi-final clash with current world champions France, while Norway will play Hungary. After ranking sixth at both the 2022 and 2020 editions of the EHF EURO, the Netherlands will play the 5/6 placement match for the third straight time, meeting Sweden.
GROUP II
Denmark vs Netherlands 30:26 (15:13)
- after 1:1, the score was only level once, at 8:8 in the 17th minute; aside from that, Denmark were always in the lead, with their advantage stretching as clear as three goals multiple times in the first half and growing through the last quarter of the match
- Denmark goalkeeper Anna Kristensen had a significant influence, with 10 saves at a rate of 48 per cent in the first half and a total of 16 at 39 per cent
- the Netherlands replaced Yara ten Holte with Rinka Duijndam in goal in the 21st minute, when Kristensen counted seven saves to ten Holte’s two; at that point, Denmark’s attack was dominated by three players with three goals apiece — backs Anne Mette Hansen and Michala Møller and right wing Trine Østergaard
- right back Dione Housheer, who received the Grundfos Player of the Match award, scored 10 goals from as many attempts and mostly found that success on breakthroughs; aside from that, the Netherlands had trouble against Denmark’s 6-0 defence and Kristensen
- although they came within one goal three times in the opening five minutes of the second half, the last time the Netherlands were that close was at 18:17 in the 36th, after which Denmark pulled away and kept comfortably in front to the buzzer