The blue-and-yellow handball team is the only one with a maximum of four points in the group, which also includes Iceland, Hungary, Switzerland and Croatia.
After a great performance in the second half against Croatia last time, Andreas Palicka, 39, got the chance to start against Slovenia after Mikael Appelgren had started all three previous European Championship matches.
Sweden chased
Team captain Palicka had an acceptable first half (six saves and a 29 percent save rate), but Sweden had to chase the entire half against a Slovenia that finished fourth at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Slovenians often used an offensive 3–2–1 defence and were able to stop Sweden's fast-paced handball.
We're slowing down their tempo a bit. You can see it quite clearly. It looks like they're stopping us very early in the attack. It doesn't feel like we have the same pressure. It bothers me that we've gone for it, left-back Hampus Wanne told Viaplay.
Blue and yellow were down 13–15 at halftime. This despite Wanne now scoring his first European Championship goals. Before the match against Slovenia, Sweden had only scored two goals on just seven wing shots. Now Wanne sent in five goals on five shots from his left wing in the first half.
Bergendahl excelled
After the break, Sweden picked up the pace – four straight goals from the blue and yellow team turned the deficit into a lead. Appelgren, who started the second half, made important saves, line player Oscar Bergendahl excelled in both attack and defence, and from the penalty spot, young Nikola Roganovic was 100 percent as Sweden took a four-goal lead.
It felt like we came out with a completely different courage, a different drive and were much more aggressive and they had to fight harder to get their goals. We said that if we were going to win we had to counterattack, and we did in the second half, Felix Claar told Viaplay.
Although Slovenia managed to reduce the deficit to one goal at one point, Sweden ran their opponents to pieces with counterattacks and quick rebounds. In the end, they won 35–31.
On Sunday, Sweden face Iceland in the second match of the intermediate round.
Facts: This is how Sweden's European Championship continues
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Sweden's matches in the intermediate round of the European Handball Championship in Malmö Arena:
Friday: Slovenia 35–31.
Sunday: Iceland (6:00 p.m.).
Tuesday: Hungary (8:30 p.m.).
Wednesday: Switzerland (8:30 p.m.).
Group standings: 1) Sweden 4 points (+12 goal difference), 2) Iceland 2 points (0), 3) Slovenia 2 points (-1), 4) Croatia 2 points (-7), 5) Hungary 1 point (-1), 6) Switzerland 1 point (-3).
The top two will advance to the semifinals in Herning, Denmark (January 30). The bronze medal match and final (February 1) will also be played in Herning.
