Handball · International
Sweden overturn half-time deficit to beat Spain in European semi-final
Sweden reached the 2000 European men’s handball final after beating Spain 23–21 in Zagreb on 29 January.
2000-01-29 · Zagreb
Event date:
The result
Sweden reached the 2000 European men’s handball final after beating Spain 23–21 in Zagreb on 29 January. Spain had led 12–11 at half-time, but Sweden reversed the deficit in the second half. The victory preserved Sweden’s unbeaten tournament record and kept their title defence alive.
The competition
Ljubomir Vranjes and Magnus Wislander each scored six goals for Sweden. Pierre Thorsson added five, accounting with the two leading scorers for 17 of Sweden’s 23 goals. Mariano Ortega scored five for Spain and Rafael Guijosa contributed four. The match record lists 7,500 spectators.
The wider context
The semi-final repeated the pairing from the 1998 European final, which Sweden had also won. In the 2000 medal round, the result sent Sweden into the final against Russia. Spain still had a chance to finish on the podium through the third-place match against France on 30 January.
Sources
Check the original record.
Open the governing body or organiser’s publication for the underlying result, decision or tournament update.