Israel's U21 Handball Team Falls to Sweden in European Championship Opener

Israel's under-21 handball team began their European Championship campaign with a 42-33 defeat against reigning champions Sweden on July 8, 2026. Despite the loss, Israel showed strong performance in the first half, maintaining a close game and even taking the lead twice. The halftime score was 17-16 in favor of Sweden.

The match started well for Israel, with Asaf Sharon scoring the first goal and goalkeeper Alon Rotzabi making several key saves. Israel managed to equalize and briefly lead, but Sweden responded with a 3-0 run to regain control. Players like Ariel Sheharvani, Jonathan Pelech, and Itamar Goldstein contributed important goals, keeping the game competitive.

In the second half, Sweden gradually extended their lead, capitalizing on Israeli turnovers. Although Israel's coach Pomernatz called a timeout and players like Tal Ekstein and Idan Chernovilski scored, Sweden pulled ahead to a double-digit margin. Israel struggled to close the gap despite goals from several players, including Sharon who scored eight goals in total.

Israel now focuses on their remaining group stage matches against Bosnia on Thursday at 12:00 and Romania on Saturday at 17:00, which will be crucial for their chances to advance in the tournament. The final score against Sweden was 42-33, with notable Israeli scorers including Sharon (8), Pelech and Chernovilski (5 each), and goalkeeper Rotzabi making seven saves.