A new star has been lit in the Swedish handball sky.
Championship debutant Nikola Roganovic, 19, stole the show when Sweden beat the Netherlands in the EC premiere in Malmö.
– He completely dominates, says Viaplay’s expert Isabelle Gulldén.
Nikola Roganovic.
Photo: ANDREAS HILLERGREN / TT NEWS AGENCY
Nikola Roganovic made a brilliant championship debut.
Photo: ANDREAS HILLERGREN / TT NEWS AGENCY
Eric Johansson celebrates.
Photo: MATHILDA SCHULER / BILDBYRÅN
After the failure in the WC last year, Sweden stepped into the handball EC on Saturday with a great desire for revenge. In the premiere in Malmö Arena, Staffan Olsson’s Netherlands were the opposition – a team that Blågult beat with the odd goal the last time the nations met in the EC two years ago.
The teams were closely followed in the first half before Nikola Roganovic stepped into the action. The 19-year-old left winger scored four goals on four shots, three of which were penalties, as Sweden pulled ahead to 16-12, which was the score at the break.
– He enters as if he has done nothing else. He is completely fearless and dominates the Handball League already. Very fun to watch. You can see that he is enjoying himself, says expert Isabelle Gulldén about the championship debutant in Viaplay’s broadcast.
Nikola Roganovic made a brilliant championship debut.
Photo: ANDREAS HILLERGREN / TT NEWS AGENCY
Father Zoran Roganovic in the stands.
Photo: ANDREAS HILLERGREN / TT NEWS AGENCY
Red card: “Dangerous play”
Roganovic, on weekdays at HK Malmö where he is coached by father Zoran who sat in the stands in the Malmö arena, not only impressed with his goalscoring – he also arranged for a red card on the Netherlands’ offensive creator Luc Steins on a counterattack.
– I think Roganovic is exaggerating it a bit… but it’s from behind and it becomes a dangerous game. He (Steins) probably knows it’s a red card. Even if he wanted a double bounce before, that is clear, says Gulldén.
Between the posts, Mikael Appelgren, 36, had a strong half and showed that he is back in the national team with confidence.
Sweden won the premiere
In the second half, Sweden was outnumbered by the Netherlands and eventually won the match 36–31. Felix Claar was the top scorer in Blågult with his eight hits.
Roganovic was noted for seven goals. The biggest cheer he probably tore down when he coolly lobbed a penalty over the Dutch goalkeeper in the middle of the second half.
Earlier on Saturday, Croatia got away with just a scare against Georgia. Last year’s WC runners-up eventually won 32–29 after a setback in the final stages of the match. Sweden meets Georgia on Monday.
■ The text is updated.
