SEMI-FINAL
Hungary vs Romania 34:26 (18:16)
- with their 20th win in a row at the W19 EHF EURO and their sixth in this tournament, Hungary are now 60 minutes away from becoming the first team in history to win the competition three times in a row
- Romania’s attack, the best at the W19 EHF EURO 2023 so far, with 189 goals scored – 37.8 goals per game – was limited to only 26 goals, after a magnificent defensive outing from Hungary
- Hungary took control of the game midway through the first half with a 8:2 run, which shifted the balance of power as Romania’s goalkeepers failed to stop their opponents’ shots
- Romania’s top scorers were backs Alisia Boiciuc (nine goals) and Diana Lixăndroiu (five goals), who are now in fourth and fifth places in the top goal scorer standings, with 45 and 43 goals respectively
- Hungary’s last loss at the W19 EHF EURO came at Slovenia 2017, in the bronze medal game against Denmark, their opponents in Sunday’s final
Hungary’s superior depth works wonders against Romania
A packed Pitești Arena dreamt about celebrating a win against archrivals Hungary, yet the reigning champions proved they are the most consistent team in the last decade at the W19 EHF EURO 2023, with another superb performance, spearheaded by their captain, Petra Simon.
Simon was everywhere, both in attack and in defence for Hungary, leading the line with a superb performance, scoring seven times, but it was her reassuring presence and calm which worked wonders in difficult times, when Romania took the lead or tied the game early in the second half.
Hungary’s superior lack of depth, a crucial card to play in the second half, after the both teams had already featured in five matches, was the tipping point, as the reigning champions will now go for their third crown, an unprecedented hat-trick, with only Denmark standing between them and the title.
Photos © Marius Ionescu / Romanian Handball Federation and Sabin Malisevschi / EHF
