This week the World Cup starts in Germany and the Netherlands. After the second half of the practice match in Halmstad, Sweden can go to Stuttgart with a boost in self-confidence. This after scoring 23 goals in the second half and making up for a seven-goal deficit at half-time.
It was really sad that we didn't get a point, but I'm incredibly proud of the second half when we didn't hesitate any longer and went for it, says national team captain Tomas Axnér to SVT.
We played in the second half as if it were a championship. Then we picked up the intensity.
It was 23–35 in the first match against Denmark on Thursday and Sweden was down 12–19 at halftime in Saturday's return match.
In the second, Sweden started with three straight goals and then was behind for much of the match with a couple of threes. Sweden had a chance to equalize in the final second on a penalty, but the more confident penalty taker Nathalie Hagman saw Danish goalkeeper Anna Opstrup Kristensen make a double save.
Sweden begins the World Cup on Thursday against the Czech Republic and then faces Cuba and Brazil in the group stage in Stuttgart.
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