Summary: Slovenia, Sweden and Denmark win groups D, E and F

• groups D, E and F bow out, with main round points and one place still available
• Poland go out with a 32:28 win vs Faroe Islands, Georgia earn maiden EHF EURO victory, 22:19 over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia romp to 29:20 win against Greece 
• Slovenia take a 28:27 win against Norway, Andreas Palicka saves a 29:28 win for Sweden vs the Netherlands, Denmark beats Portugal 37:27
• download the Home of Handball app to make your match predictions and vote for Player of the Match (45 minutes into each game)
• follow the EHF EURO social media channels: X, Facebook and Instagram
• find out how to follow the tournament
• all photographs © Kolektiff Images

22:45

That was an amazing end to the preliminary round for these three groups. Surely tomorrow night will deliver equal highlights?

Speaking of highlights, here's those from the Norway vs Slovenia match - the rest are on YouTube. We'll be back with the blog tomorrow morning at 10:00 CET for the final day of preliminary round action.

22:30

So there we have it: main round group II will be Slovenia, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and Portugal. We get to see them all play in Hamburg starting on Wednesday.

Here's the match reviews of those 'group finals'.

22:10 | FULL-TIME

Norway 27:28 Slovenia

There's never been more than two goals in this game and the lead has changed constantly throughout. Aleks Vlah scored with 56 seconds on the clock, putting Slovenia ahead - and their defence held strong to prevent Norway from scoring for the remaining time. Slovenia win their third game, and go into the main round with the two points. Norway progress in second place.

Vlah is top scorer, with seven goals and six assists; Sander Sagosen scores six and makes five assists. But Urban Lesjak is Player of the Match with a stellar second-half show, making nine saves (43 per cent), key to the victory.

Sweden 29:28 Netherlands

Sweden win, thanks purely to three amazing Andreas Palicka saves in the final two minutes which then gave the champions the chance to seize a one-goal victory. But what a show from the Dutch, who have proved they are contenders in this tournament!

Player of the Match is Luc Steins (six goals, four assists). Palicka leads the goalkeeper standings with nine saves (38 per cent). Hampus Wanne and Felix Claar both score five times for Sweden, who had 10 players ont the scoreboard, demonstrating their depth.

Denmark 37:27 Portugal

Denmark stamp their name on the badge labelled "tournament favourites" with a dominant performance against Portugal to conclude the preliminary round. It's steered by Mathias Gidsel, who nets 11 goals and makes six assists on top of that, plus Niklas Landin and his 18 saves (43 per cent). Denmark win the group and take two points to Hamburg.

21:57

A fan holds up a sign in Mannheim: "Luc Steins, you are my superstar." And the centre back is a superstar, with five goals and four assists and very much the centre of the Dutch game. 

But shout out to Tim Claessens, who comes on court and almost immediately scores to give the Netherlands a 27:26 lead. 

21:52

Still level in both Mannheim and Munich - this is crazy!

Vote for the last Players of the Match in groups D, E and F now.

21:45

Slovenia lead! Dean Bombac finally gets a shot away past the Norwegian defence after a fair period on the attack. It's 24:23.

21:43

Bad news for the Netherlands: Samir Benghamen and Oscar Bergendahl were jumping for a rebound and fell. Benghamen is stretchered off the court, clearly in significant pain. 

21:38

The powerful Danes have pulled out to a 23:17 lead, and Paulo Pereira calls a timeout. Portugal need to find the way to break back through the Danish defence.

After Sweden had a good patch in Mannheim, the Netherlands have levelled the game again. A trio of players - Luc Steins, Samir Benghamen and Niels Versteijnen - are leading the Dutch efforts, and coach Staffan Olsson has only just started rotating a little more often.

Slovenia are hanging in in Berlin, and Norway have a 22:21 lead in a match which again is turning into a physical contest (it's been a pattern here).

21:30

Grimaces from the Dutch as a Rutger ten Velde penalty is missed. Sweden lead 17:15 and there's a few Dutch balls going high or wide.

Norway lead Slovenia 19:18, but have another chance to regain the two-goal lead they just took as Jure Dolenec is suspended and Tobias Grondahl shoots the penalty - 20:18.

21:23

The matches will restart very soon. In the meantime, this goal from Simen Lyse is nice.

21:15

EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu has delivered his thoughts on the great match ongoing between the Netherlands and Sweden in Mannheim.

21:12 | HALF-TIME

Norway 17:17 Slovenia

Norway look better today than they did against the Faroe Islands, much more like their usual selves, but they're still not entirely in control as Slovenia's tenacious defence makes it tricky to break through. There have been some delightful goals, though.

Sander Sagosen is leading things for the men in red, with four goals and two assists. And it's Aleks Vlah in the driving seat for Slovenia with five goals and three assists. None of the goalkeepers have had a first half to shout about.

Sweden 15:15 Netherlands

The Netherlands have been tearing through the Swedish defence with some classy play and it took the Swedes some time to start finding solutions. A bit more on this match soon from EHF journalist Adrian Costeiu.

Denmark 17:15 Portugal

Portugal never say die, do they? They were tailing by five goals at one point, but have brought it back to two in a performance that shows why they are in the top two in this group. It was almost a three-goal lead for Denmark but Mathias Gidsel's fast break was ruled as a no-goal as the buzzer went before he scored. 

Martim Costa is having another storming match, with eight goals; his brother Francisco has scored three. Mikkel Hansen's five leads the Danish scoring.

21:05

Miha Zarabec is fouled by Sander Sagosen while attacking and hits the ground hard. It goes to video replay and Sagosen is given a two-minute suspension.

The Netherlands have equalised with Sweden, 14:14, and Sweden coach Glenn Solberg calls a timeout. Denmark lead Portugal by three.

21:00

Staffan Olsson (who, let's not forget, is a bit of a Swedish legend) calls a timeout after Sweden go 13:11 up against the Netherlands. The Dutch have been superb so far but the Swedes aren't European champions for nothing. 

In Berlin, Slovenia equalise ay 14:14! And Portugal are fighting back too against Denmark.

20:55

Mikkel Hansen is playing his 50th EHF EURO game tonight, and he's having a good one with five goals already. Hans Lindberg is up to 53 EHF EURO games, equalling the all-time record set by Michael Knudsen.

20:50

Excellence from Felix Claar here. 

After being bashed on the head in the last match, Samir Benghamen is playing again with a bandage around his head, presumably so as not to open up the wound.

Some stiff defence in Berlin has enabled Slovenia to close up to 10:11.

20:48

The Netherlands are hanging on to a small lead against Sweden, but it's just 8:7 now. 

Denmark lead 9:7 and Norway 10:8, so there's not much in any of these games.

20:37

After just over six minutes, it's level at 4:4 in Berlin between Norway and Slovenia. Norway had to play catch-up but have now done so.

The Netherlands had a great start against the reigning European champions and lead Sweden 4:2, while it's 5:2 to Denmark against Portugal.

20:30

In about 90 minutes we'll know who goes to the main round with two points - throw-off is imminent!

The Faroes fans are mostly still here. Some of them had Slovenian flags during the anthems, obviously having been ready just in case they needed Norway to lose to send their boys to the main round. 

20:15

The Polish victory means Norway are guaranteed to progress to the main round alongside Slovenia. It also means all three of the 20:30 CET games are to decide who wins each group.

• Norway vs Slovenia
• Sweden vs Netherlands - with live audio description
• Denmark vs Portugal

20:10

News from the Mannheim mixed zone, where Georgia's coach Tite Kalandadze did a set of push-ups. Apparently he did 10 after they qualified for the EHF EURO and promised to do another set if they won a game at the final tournament - and he made good on his promise!

20:05

In Berlin, the Faroese fans have been singing since the match finished, showing their appreciation to the team for their efforts. We'll miss having them around, although it looks like many are sticking around for the final match of the group.

Before that starts, here's the match reviews to look over.

19:35 | FULL-TIME

Poland 32:28 Faroe Islands

The Faroes' dream of the main round and a debut win ends. Poland have been tough throughout, and have used their bigger physiques and greater experience to force the win. Their goalkeeper, Jakub Skrzyniarz, was very good and the whole combination paid off. 

The Faroese fans continue to sing and cheer their men, who have played a brilliant tournament and will definitely be back for more in future years. These kids have plenty of handball in them yet.

Elias Ellefsen á Skipagøtu is again Player of the Match, with nine goals and five assists. Hákun West av Teigum scores 10, including eight out of eight penalties. Szymon Sicko netted 10 goals for Poland, with Kamil Syprzak adding nine.

Bosnia and Herzegovina 19:22 Georgia

So Georgia end as the only debutant side this EHF EURO to take a win, after a stellar second half. They are absolutely delighted, as well they should be. Right back Giorgi Tskhovrebadze scores seven goals as does Marko Panic for Bosnia. 

Georgian goalkeeper Zurab Tsintsadze is Player of the Match, saving seven shots (37 per cent)/

Czechia 29:20 Greece

Czechia bow out of the competition with a big win, but Greece can exit with their heads held high after a debut tournament that's shown they're able to compete with some of the best, if not for a whole match.

Tomas Mrkva was brilliant, making 18 saves (55 per cent), and is deservedly Player of the Match.

19:24

Less than five minutes to go. Poland lead the Faroes 29:27; Georgia lead Bosnia 20:18. The Czechs have things wrapped up.

19:19

The atmosphere in Berlin is tense as the Faroe Islands lose the ball and Poland have a chance of a two-goal lead, which Piotr Jedraszczyk duly delivers. 

Óli Mittún's only scored twice this game, but they've been stunners.

19:15

The games in both Berlin and Mannheim look like they could come down to a draw. It's 25:25 in Berlin, with the Faroe Islands benefitting from a string of penalties conceded by Poland. 

Georgia have just taken a 16:15 lead over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and are not letting go of their opponents.

19:12

Trying to make a save, Nicholas Satchwell tumbles and appears to hurt his ankle. He's helped off court and it'll be time for Pauli Jacobsen to come back on.

Voting for the Player of the Match is open for all three games. 

19:07

Jakub Szysko receives a two-minute suspension after fouling Leivur Mortensen as he shot, and that gives the Faroe Islands a chance to close the gap and stop Poland extending the lead from 22:20. Hákun West av Teigum scores the penalty. 

19:02

Bosnia have regained an edge over Georgia, but it's just an edge - 13:11. Czechia now lead Greece 20:9 and will leave the tournament with a win, unless something goes horribly wrong.

18:58

Either side could win this: Poland are largely relying on the vast experience of Kamil Syprzak and Syzmon Sicko, along with Jakub Skrzyniarz's saves. The Faroese have made a few mistakes this half already and there has been very little rotation. Their best players are young and super-talented, but have they got the stamina to take this to a win?

18:52

Thirty minutes to play in the preliminary round for these teams starts now.

18:47

Here's that buzzer-beater from Mannheim - brilliant stuff from Georgia!

18:43 | HALF-TIME

Bosnia and Herzegovina 9:9 Georgia

Bosnia had much the better start in Mannheim but Georgia rallied superbly, and have come back into the game courtesy of a huge game for second goalkeeper David Nikabadze. Centre back Irakli Kbilashvili netted a great buzzer-beater to put Georgia level, and the question of which side gets their first EHF EURO win is really up in the air.

Marko Panic is now Bosnia's all-time top EHF EURO scorer, having added five goals in the first half.

Czechia 15:8 Greece

Czechia and Greece have both played brave tournaments but it looks like Czechia will take the win today - although Greece will keep fighting, certainly. Tomas Mrkva has saved 53 per cent of the shots he's faced (nine out of 17) and Jakub Sterba has scored five times. 

Poland 15:15 Faroe Islands

This is a tense and far-from-perfect game, which is seeing the bigger, slower Poland use their physicality well against the smaller, less experienced Faroe Islanders. Here's what EHF journalist Filip Mishov has to say:

18:33

With five minutes to go Nicholas Satchwell has replaced Pauli Jacobsen in goal; they need a few saves as Poland's Jakub Skrzyniarz is having a brilliant performance. 

Poland are finding more solutions in attack and putting up a good defence. It's 15:14 at this moment, in what remains a pretty level game. 

18:25

This is more nervy from the Faroes than against Slovenia and Norway, with a few too many mistakes and now four suspensions. It's level again at 11:11. Another EHF EURO point for the debutants looks possible, but right now, the big win they need to have any hope of progression does not. 

Czechia lead Greece 11:7 and Tomas Mrkva is having a great day.

18:21

Peter Bredsdorff-Larsen has pressed the seven-on-six button as the Faroes lead 10:9. Poland concede another penalty and Hákun West av Teigum puts it away to give the Faroese their first two-goal lead at 11:9.

18:15

In the other games, Czechia lead Greece 6:3 and Bosnia lead Georgia 5:2. Marko Panic is likely to become Bosnia's all-time top scorer at the EHF EURO tonight.

18:12

Polish line player Bartlomiej Bis receives his second two-minute suspension, just eight minutes into the game; Elias Ellefsen á Skipagøtu takes the penalty, which is saved by Jakub Skrzyniarz, but á Skipagøtu nets off the rebound. 

It's still end-to-end stuff though. Poland are playing faster than they did against Slovenia and are already rotating their bench more than the Faroes. 

18:08

After a few minutes of back-and-forth, Szymon Sicko's third shot goes wide and the Faroes have the opportunity to take a 3:2 lead. Poland are clearly aiming to use their size against the smaller Scandinavians, who in turn are trying to use their passing skill to effect. But it's pretty close so far as each works out the other's tactics, and Poland soon equalise and then regain the lead after Hákun West av Teigum misses.

Bosnia vs Georgia is a low-scoring affair, with just two goals for Bosnia in the first seven minutes. Meanwhile Czechia lead Greece 4:3. 

18:00

Poland, Czechia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzgovina and Georgia are about to play their last EHF EURO 2024 match; it might be the Faroes' last game too. Let's hope they all have a good one. Here we go!

17:50

Today in Berlin, Peter Bredsdorff-Larsen has left the younger á Skipagøtu brother, Rói, and the elder Mittún, Pauli, off the squad. They both played alongside their brothers Elias and Óli the other day (the á Skipagøtus are also cousins of the Mittúns - Faroese handball is a family affair). 

In Mannheim, there's no Benjamin Buric tonight as Irfan Smajlagic has selected Chambéry Savoie Mont-Blanc Handball goalkeeper Harun Hodzic in his place. Hodzic is having a good club season, this is his first EHF EURO 2024 appearance.

• Poland vs Faroe Islands
• Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Georgia
• Czechia vs Greece

17:38

We're expecting excellent fan support across all three arenas again today. 

In Berlin, the Faroese are gathering; they all sang the Norwegian national anthem on Saturday night, so will they have learned the Polish anthem? The Poles are in strong voice anyway - we passed several of them singing in Polish to the tune of 'Auld Lang Syne' (traditionally sung in Scotland on New Year's Eve) just now!

17:20

Poland and the Faroe Islands are on court warming up ahead of the clash that will help decide the final placings in the group. Here's their stats so far:

17:00

Today's stat of the day, from Julian Rux, puts the spotlight on Sweden vs Netherlands and showing how fast Sweden's scoring has been - helped by their huge win against Bosnia and Herzegovina. But the Netherlands are also quick. When it comes to overall possession time, they've held on to the ball for only two minutes and 10 seconds longer than Sweden. So today's game could be another high-scoring affair!

16:38

Join Norway's Vetle Eck Aga in some strength training before they meet Slovenia.

16:18

Hype for the Netherlands' match against Sweden at 20:30 CET - can the Dutchmen beat the reigning European champions?

15:30

In group E at 18:00 CET, either Bosnia and Herzegovina or Georgia can get a historic first EHF EURO win. Bosnia will be cheered on by plenty of noisy fans, who have supported their team regardless of the result so far.

14:20

It's time for a break; the blog will return in an hour or so as we build up to the critical last day for group D in Berlin, and look at how the teams will end up ranked in Mannheim and Munich.

14:01

Good work by the Czech federation, who are using the profile of today's game against Greece to raise money for a bone marrow transplant charity in Czechia. 

13:32

Which EHF EURO player are you? Take our quiz and find out!

13:03

With their team of youngsters and the passionate crowd of 5,000 fans, it's fair to say that the Faroe Islands have captured the hearts of the handball world here in Berlin (unless you're Norwegian). After their draw with Norway on Saturday, EHF journalist Filip Mishov caught up with coach Peter Bredsdorff-Larsen and centre back hero Elias Ellefsen á Skipagøtu to find out more about the tactics behind the historic result, and where it could lead.

12:30

Poland will sing their national anthem at the EHF EURO 2024 for the last time tonight - but can they beat the Faroe Islands? We'll find out at 18:00 CET in Berlin!

12:18

Denmark have a huge number of star goalkeepers they could have called in for this tournament (and also shine in this area in the women's side). But out of the shortlist of five, it's Emil Nielsen and Niklas Landin who got the nod. 

So far, they've shown why. Nielsen has made 21 saves from 39 shots in two matches, an efficiency of 53.4 per cent (!). Landin has stopped 13 out of 37 shots (35.1 per cent). When it comes to efficiency, Nielsen is right at the top of all the standings. 

EHF journalist Eric Willemsen got a chance to talk to the duo about their on-court relationship and what it means for the world champions. 

11:55

Some of the saves last night were absolutely crucial in keeping teams' main round dreams alive. Here are five of the best.

11:35

Have you seen last night's top five goals yet? Here they are for you - and what a selection today!

11:00

This morning's team news: Goran Perkovac told reporters at the Croatian media call a short time ago that Ivan Martinovic is out, due to dislocating his shoulder in yesterday's draw with Austria. Luka Lovre Klarica and Mateo Maras will pick up right back duties.

Meanwhile Spain have lost wing Kauldi Odriozola due to a foot injury, and are flying in Ferran Solé to replace him.

10:25

It's the last day of preliminary round games in groups D, E, and F, and if you're still confused about what teams need to do to reach the main round, we've put it all together for you. Read on here.

10:00

Somehow we're already into round 3 of the Men's EHF EURO 2024, and we'll see some teams for the last time today - certainly Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Czechia, and Greece, none of whom can qualify for the main round. Bosnia, Georgia and Greece are all still on the hunt for their first-ever EHF EURO win, and all have a chance today. 

Meanwhile the Faroes are hunting a huge win over Poland to put the pressure on Norway in the last group D match: they have a goal difference of 14 goals to close up, and also need Norway to lose to Slovenia, but if there's one thing we've learned about the Faroe Islands it is that they're not afraid of a challenge. And Slovenia are playing well, so will certainly fancy their chances against Norway.

Lots to look forward to - here's the day preview.