Denmark and Norway replay 2022 final for gold

The last day in the Wiener Stadthalle will throw off with reigning world champions and 2022 EURO bronze medallists, France, pit sides with Hungary who are back among the top four teams after 12 years.

The pinnacle of the European championship will see the rematch of the 2022 final, as defending title holders Norway and EHF EURO 2022 runners-up Denmark meet again in another exciting clash. In 2022 in Ljubljana, Norway won 27:25 and raised their ninth trophy, leaving Denmark with their third-ever silver.

FINAL

Denmark vs Norway
Sunday 13 December, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV

• this is a rematch of the EHF EURO 2022 final, won 27:25 by Norway; Norway also won the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship semi-finals against Denmark
• to qualify for the final, Norway beat Hungary 30:22, with Henny Reistad netting seven times and Katrine Lunde saving 11 shots at 42.3 per cent save efficiency
• Denmark booked their ticket to the final after a tough fight against France, winning 24:22 boosted by Anna Kristensen's strong performance — 16 saves at 43.2 per cent save efficiency
• this is Norway’s third consecutive final, and 13th overall; they have lost only three final games, in 1996, 2002 and 2012
• Denmark are playing their second straight final; the last time they raised the trophy was in 2002
• Norway are already record EHF EURO champions with nine previous titles, three silver medals and one bronze, while Denmark have won the European championship three times
• Norway are the only team that has not been beaten since the beginning of the tournament; Denmark were only defeated by Norway in the first game of the main round, 24:27
• Denmark are three goals away from their 3,000th EHF EURO goal. Norway are the only side to have passed that milestone, and the winning goal in the semi-final was their 3,501st
• goalkeeper Lunde will fight for her seventh trophy with Norway after previously winning in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2020 and 2022; wing Camilla Herrem is hunting her sixth European title
• this will be the last time Thorir Hergeirsson leads Norway; he is stepping down after 15 years as Norway’s head coach and 23 as part of the senior women’s coaching staff
• the final is the 16th time the two sides will meet at the EHF EURO, and their sixth final; Norway hold 11 wins, while Denmark beat them on five occasions, including in the 2002 final

BRONZE MEDAL MATCH

France vs Hungary
Sunday 13 December, 15:15 CET, live on EHFTV

• in Friday's semi-final, Hungary lost 22:30 to Norway 22:30 and had to play without their goalkeeper Zsófi Szemerey who suffered a minor injury; France had a tough, close 22:24 defeat against Denmark
• France are playing for bronze medal for the second consecutive time and the fifth time in history — in 2022 they finished fourth, while they won bronze in 2002, 2006 and 2016
• Hungary have played the 3/4 placement match four times so far, in 1994, 1998, 2004 and 2012, and won bronze in 1998 and 2004
• Estelle Nze Minko is three goals away from becoming France's EHF EURO top scorer, overtaking Alexandra Lacrabère's 154 goals, while this will be Grace Zaadi Deuna’s 100th EURO match
• Hungary's Katrin Klujber is their current EHF EURO 2024 top scorer with 51 goals; during the tournament she added 24 assists and passed 500 international goals to a current total of 501
• the two teams have already met at the Women's EHF EURO 2024 in the last game of the main round to decide the group winners — France won 30:27, their second EURO win against Hungary
• this will be the seventh time France and Hungary meet at the EHF EURO, but the first time in the battle for a medal

Photos © EHF/kolektiff