As expected, the Swiss women's handball team also lost their third game of the main round in Vienna. Knut Ove Joa's team lost 29:37 against the Netherlands, the 2019 world champions.
After the rest day on Sunday, the young Swiss team led by captain Kerstin Kündig put up a brave fight in their sixth game in eleven days and took a 3:1 lead. However, the Dutch team's superiority was soon reflected on the scoreboard. The initial lead turned into 6:12 and they went into the break trailing by 7 goals.
Because the Swiss put up a remarkable fight right to the end and the Dutch, with a view to their crucial final group game against Denmark on Wednesday, probably did not play with the same vigor, the result was not much higher in the end and by no means devastating. The difference was ultimately eight goals.
While every player on the Dutch team scored at least once, Daphné Gautschi scored six times for the defeated Swiss, who made far fewer technical errors than in their 27:36 loss to Germany on Saturday.
One week after successfully completing the preliminary round in Basel, it is now clear that the Swiss handball players will finish their first European Championship in 11th or 12th place - having achieved their goal by advancing to the main round. Joa's team will now face another top nation in two days' time. Their last opponent will be Olympic champions Norway on Wednesday (20:30). The final ranking will probably be decided by the goal difference in the long-distance duel with Poland.
