Denmark’s perfect record is intact at the Men’s Handball World Championship in France following a hard-fought 27-25 victory against Sweden in Group D last night.
Buoyed by outstanding goalkeeper play by Niklas Landin, the Danes led by six just before the break, but the Swedes stormed back to get within one with a minute left.
Landin had a save percentage of close to 60 percent in the first half and 48 percent overall – even managing to score when the Swedes pulled their keeper to try and get more numbers in the outfield.
“I must say that was one of the most sublime goalkeeper performances I have ever seen over 30 minutes [one half],” said Claus Møller Jakobsen, TV2 Sport’s handball expert.
“He was immaculate and is the biggest reason by far that the game isn’t tied at half-time.”
READ MORE: Denmark hampered by injuries ahead of Scandinavian battle
Evading France
Denmark now face Bahrain on Wednesday and Qatar on Friday to complete their participation in Group D – with only Qatar expected to provide a challenge.
Denmark look certain to top the group going into the knockout stages. And that’s good news, because if home favourites France win Group A, as expected, then the two won’t meet until the final.
Wozniacki also on course
Meanwhile, in other sports news, Caroline Wozniacki has in the last hour sailed through to the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-1, 6-2 win over home-grown player Arina Rodionova.
Encouragingly for Woz, she won eight out of nine net points in the first set alone – a sign she is throwing caution to the wind and employing a more attacking strategy compared to previous years.
READ MORE: Woz’s ‘American cousin’ in Oz as well: Raised abroad, her parents are Danish
