Tyra Axnér had her international breakthrough at the EC last year when she scored nine goals in a half in the match against Denmark.
When Sweden has now entered the qualifiers for the next EC, the 21-year-old was again one of the players who excelled.
Vänsternian was behind seven of the goals in the match against Luxemburg, which the blue and yellow eventually won comfortably 39-17.
Weak Swedish introduction
But it took quite a while into the first half before it loosened up against the on paper worse opposition.
The Swedish players were responsible for a number of tactical mistakes and had an unusually high error percentage, but despite that went to halftime with an eight-ball lead (15-7).
– In the first half, we didn’t have a good pace of the ball. In addition, we weren’t fired up enough, says assistant national team captain Johanna Wiberg to the national handball team’s website after the match.
The next collection is delayed until the spring
In the second half, the teams worked better. The sides delivered through Natalie Hagman and Elin Hansson and the feeling was that Sweden switched gears – not least in the counterattacking game.
Sweden won earlier this week against the Faroe Islands with 37-20.
Now awaits the national team break before the remaining EC qualifying matches are played this spring. Then a tougher challenge awaits for Sweden because Iceland is also part of the same qualifying group.
The EC will be played in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland next autumn.