It was noisy, closed, technical mistakes, significantly worse offensive than defensive play from both sides.
Maybe also a touch of premiere nerves.
Only after 9.03 did Daniel Pettersson manage to score just the third goal of the match, giving Sweden the lead.
But most of all it was about two Andreas who stopped almost everything – the goalkeepers Palicka and Wolff.
“Fantastic goalkeeping match”
When Palicka became somewhat more human for a period, the German Wolff continued to excel. The 38-year-old Swedish veteran – well known to the Parisians – is an absolutely key player who must have a strong tournament for Swedish handball to have the chance to take a first, long-awaited Olympic gold.
With a few more sweaty saves by the Paris SG star, he ensured the Germans were just 12-11 at half-time.
It’s a fantastic goalkeeping match, says Jim Gottfridsson.
We should have used Palicka’s first half more than we did. Meanwhile, Wolff saved. The attacking game feels a bit convulsive, we won’t get past them in the duel game, says Claar.
If it was a low-scoring opening, the second half offered wide open opportunities from the start in both directions, with the Germans one step ahead. Palicka stepped off, Tobias Thulin immediately stopped the German 24–21.
Instead, Sebastian Karlsson countered in 23–22.
Union captain Glenn Solberg.
Union captain Glenn Solberg.
Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT
Marko Grgic and Christoph Steinert responded to give the Germans 25–22, a three-goal lead that was well managed.
You have to be a little careful about making a total analysis immediately after the match, but it is clear that we are not satisfied with what we are performing. Offensively, we get stuck too much. We don’t get the ball pace we want and we miss too much in the first, says Glenn Solberg.
Four out of six teams advance from the group, but a group victory is sought after to probably avoid the favorites France and Denmark already in one of the quarter-finals in Lille.
In a new situation
A Swedish debut loss in a championship start is one of the rarest.
It’s a new situation for us, but we knew that Germany is a good team. It was two points we missed out on, but it’s a new match in two days, says Gottfridsson.
He doesn’t feel pressured.
No, we feel comfortable in the goals we have set. It has never been particularly brilliant from Swedish handball at the beginning of the championships.
Fact: That’s how Sweden plays
July 29: Spain (4pm)
July 31: Slovenia (4 p.m.)
August 2: Croatia (2 p.m.)
August 4: Japan (09.00)
The top four in the group advance to the quarterfinals. In the second group (B) Denmark, Norway, Hungary, France, Egypt and Argentina play.
Quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches will be played in Lille on August 7, 9 and 11 respectively.