Israel Under-21 Handball Team Opens European Championship Aiming for Top 14 Finish

The Israeli Under-21 handball team is set to begin its campaign at the European Championship tomorrow in Cluj and Turda, northern Romania. The team’s declared goal is to finish among the top 14 teams in the tournament, which would secure their first-ever qualification for the next World Championship. The squad departed for Romania yesterday, missing one of their key players, Guy Resh Arman, who will play in Germany next season. However, the team is confident after strong preparation, including two victories over Greece, another tournament participant.

Israel will face the reigning European champions Sweden at 12:00 on Wednesday, Bosnia at the same time on Thursday, and host nation Romania on Saturday at 17:00. For the first time, all matches of the championship will be broadcast on Sport Channel. Head coach Chen Pomerantz expressed optimism about the team’s readiness, noting significant progress over the past year and a half despite challenges. He acknowledged the difficulty of the group, especially playing against Sweden, but believes the team can perform well and use the opening match to build confidence.

Pomerantz emphasized that the primary objective is to qualify for the World Championship, but if circumstances align, the team could aim even higher. He stressed the importance of progressing game by game and focusing on individual player development. The roster includes players such as Alon Rotzavi, Jonathan Benshtrit, and captains Tal Ekstein and Asaf Sharon. The coaching staff features Pomerantz as head coach, assistant coach Evitar Gevaon, goalkeeper coach Pedro Silva, physiotherapist Eyal Amar, psychologist Roy Yablonchik, equipment manager Dor Moshe, and delegation head Gilad Natan.