GROUP 1
Switzerland vs Lithuania 34:18 (12:10)
- the 34:18 victory was the clearest Swiss win in the second qualification phase since the implementation of the group phases in 2009, their previous record being a 27:17 against Portugal on 3 April 2010
- in contrast to the reverse fixture (36:30 for Switzerland, their first win in this qualification stage since 2018), the first half was lacking goals, but the hosts were constantly ahead
- as Xenia Hodel had been top scorer of the match at Lithuania with 12 goals, she did not score in the first 30 minutes, but on Sunday Kerstin Kündig was on fire
- With her eight goals from eight attempts for the 20:15, Kündig finally had paved the way to the EHF EURO and to level the longest winning run of her team in the qualification (two matches) in minute 41 - in the end, Kündig had 12 goals
- Lithuania have to wait two more years for an EHF EURO ticket with the event then played with 24 teams; their only participation dates back to 1996
A dream comes true for Switzerland
In the qualification for the EHF EURO 2018, the Swiss women’s team had already been close to their first ever ticket to the final tournament. They “only” needed to beat Croatia on home ground in the penultimate round to clinch their berth, but that time the pressure was too high, Switzerland lost 16:33. But four years later, the joint host of the EHF EURO 2024 (with Hungary and Austria) made their dream come true - and follow their men’s team, which had booked the ticket for the 2020 EHF EURO for the second time after hosting the event in 2006, and even made it to the 2021 World Championship.
