Poland (POL)

Poland will face Germany, Montenegro and Spain in group D of the Women’s EHF EURO 2022 in Podgorica. After three participations without a victory, already the opener is crucial for the team of Norwegian-born head coach Arne Senstad.

In eight years, Poland have not won a single match at EHF EURO final tournaments - one point in the final group match of the EHF EURO 2020 against Germany was the only positive outcome in the last three events.

And in their next EHF EURO match, Germany are the opponents again on 5 November in Podgorica. This is already seen as a make-or-break match for the main round, with hosts Montenegro and 2019 World Championship silver medallists Spain also in group D.

The 20 players who form the current squad of the Polish side are a mixture of youth and experience. Due to different reasons, Poland had to send quite an inexperienced team to the EHF EURO 2020 in Denmark, where that draw against Germany meant the only point as Poland finished 14th. One year later, at the World Championship in Spain, the line-up looked quite different, as players such as Kinga Achruk, Magdalena Nocun and Monika Kobylinska helped Poland reach 15th position from 32 teams, even ahead of top nations such as Montenegro, Croatia and Angola. This year, Senstad can choose from youth and experience.

At the end of September and beginning of October, when other EHF EURO participants had test matches all over Europe, Arne Senstad had called 20 players for a training camp at Szczyrk. The only test matches on the way towards the final tournament will happen abroad: On 28 and 30 of October, Poland will be tested by Olympic champions France in Rennes and Nantes, before they travel to Podgorica.

33-year-old playmaker Kinga Achruk is the only Champions League winner in the current Polish squad. From 2013 until 2017, Achruk played for Buducnost and won the EHF Champions League in 2015, ensuring plenty of love upon her return.

Read more about the Polish team HERE.