Sweden took command directly in the World Cup semi-final against France.
Despite the French being big favorites, the Swedes showed no respect and took the lead immediately and it took almost a quarter of an hour before France was in the lead for the first time.
But then Sweden would return and the break numbers were written to 16-13 in Swedish favor.
The biggest reason for the lead was perhaps the goalkeeper Andreas Palicka who was responsible for several fine saves where one in the closing seconds stood out where he double saved the second shot with the big toe in a miraculous way.
"Sickest I've seen in handball"
- The last sequence in the half is among the sickest I have seen in handball and then I have still seen thousands of matches.
A shot at 200 kilometers per hour, return, pass behind his back, and then Palicka has his foot up in the crossbar when he saves, says SVT's Sports handball expert Magnus Grahn.
Felix Claar with two goals in the first half said this at the break:
- We continue on the same track as we have done, we run a lot, get some goals in the second phase and wear backwards so it looks okay, he told TV6.
Wanne goal best
Sweden, which had only won one of the last ten meetings against France, an insignificant European Championship match in 2014, continued on the beaten path in the second half.
France was only one goal away in the beginning of the second but then Sweden held the lead with at least three balls.
France tried to get closer to Sweden but as soon as they got some hope, Sweden scored, led by wingers Hampus Wanne and Daniel Pettersson but also the game engine Jim Gottfridsson who accounted for several important goals and assists.
The nail in the coffin for France came with just under two minutes left when Jonathan Carlsbogård put it 30-25.
Sweden finally won the match 32-26 and are now ready for their first World Cup final in 20 years.
Sweden has taken four World Cup golds through the ages where the latest came in 1999 and on Sunday the fifth gold can come.