Sweden against the reigning Olympic champion from Russia, 36-24, not the other way around.

These are numbers that make every single person who knows something about handball look at and wonder if he looked right.

I have followed this national team for 15 years, since the home European Championships in 2006, and this is the most impressive match I have seen of the team.

It was in Lillehammer 12 December 2010. In Håkon's hall 16 years after the Foppa punishment, then the Swedish ladies showed that they could beat the best.

7,000 patriotic Norwegians in the stands became increasingly quiet when Sweden drove over the home favorite with 24-19.

Until today, I have ranked that match as the single coolest I have seen of the Swedish handball ladies.

Even though the premiere against Spain the day before yesterday was a solid effort in every way, I never thought that today's match against one of the main favorites would trump the old fine Norway history.

Strömberg world class

But what a match Sweden made!

Jamina Roberts and Carin Strömberg held absolute world class and the Russian stars had no chance at all.

Speed ​​and explosiveness every time there was a situation, patience and faith in the collective when you could not find the fast situation.

So good and consistent attacking play for 60 minutes is unique - it gave 36 goals.

Backwards it was just as good.

Lagerquist, Blohm and Strömberg decided most things and in the goal Johanna Bundsen took what she wanted and more.

There were three question marks

Before the Olympics, I was afraid that it would be like in London 2012. A super tough draw then gave five straight losses and the final stamp "failure".

This time the draw was almost as tough - but so far it is now a total success.

And the three big question marks that existed before the tournament are now clear exclamation marks.

Can you succeed in the Olympics without a natural right wing?

 Despite the fact that Hanna Blomstrand and Nina Dano were ready, and despite the fact that games with only the right hand of nine meters are often only seen as a temporary solution, Tomas Axnér chose to go to Tokyo without a left-handed shooter.

It felt daring, but so far, above all, Emma Lindquist, but also Petrén / Carlsson have fixed it gallantly when they replaced.

Does Elin Hansson hold internationally?

 When the number of seats in the squad was limited to 14, Axnér chose to include only one left wing.

Elin Hansson from Skuru, a good player in SHE, but basically completely without international experience and the Olympics is something completely different… or?

Hansson has done it beyond all expectations.

Especially backwards, but also offensively.

Can Sweden succeed without Bella Gulldén?

 Since the championship debut in the 2008 Olympics, Sweden's success has come and gone with Bella's brilliance.

When Gulldén has been in the top team, things have gone well (medal games 2010, 2014, 2017) and vice versa.

In this Olympics, it's finally time for Carin Strömberg to get the chance for real - so far she is brilliant.

Purely magical today against the Russians.

The best I've seen!

Tomas Axnér and Johanna Wiberg should have a lot of praise for what they did this summer.

The Olympics provide (unlike the European Championships / World Cup) the chance for several weeks of joint training.

This time has been used in the best way, the questions I asked above have of course also been with the squad, but together they have trained and found the answers to solutions.

Just over a week after that Norway match in 2010, the Swedish handball ladies played their only final so far, it became a European Championship silver after Norway got revenge.

If the Swedish girls continue to play as they do today, there will be a new final next Saturday.

But it is not a small requirement to make - because this was the best I have seen!

CLIP: Highlights, Sweden-ROK

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Nine goals by Carin Strömberg today.

Photo: Bildbyrån