The win ends a losing streak that stretched back eight years, and also puts Czechia level with Romania in the group with two points ahead of the final matches.
GROUP B
Serbia vs Czechia 24:27 (13:14)
- even though the Czechs held a two-goal lead throughout the first half, Serbia managed to equalise just ahead of the break and then, Charlotte Cholevová beat the buzzer to give Czechia a minimal advantage at the break
- once again, Bent Dahl tried to outsmart the opponent by playing seven against six in attack for the best part of the opening half
- Markéta Jerábková displayed her versatility by playing in each of three backline positions during the match and she played a crucial role in deciding the winner
- Andjela Janjusevic was the match's top scorer as Serbia's right back scored nine goals
- Serbia's captain Jovana Risovic made nine saves (29 per cent) between the sticks, while Sabrina Novotná once again displayed a solid performance with 14 stops (38 per cent)
- Cholevová scored eight goals and was selected as the Player of the Match, presented by Grundfos
Jerábková's class decides the match
In a second half full of turnarounds and overall, a match with too many misses – 19 per squad – the winner was decided within the final five minutes of the match.
With so much at stake for both Serbia and Czechia it was only logical for someone with magic in her palms to decide the final outcome and that was where Markéta Jerábková stepped in.
The MVP from the EHF FINAL4 2022 scored twice in the last couple of minutes to give her team a two-goal lead going into the final 60 seconds of the match, which was more than enough to secure the win.
It’s difficult to find good thoughts, but you know, we were inside, we came back after the first half into the lead, some advantages, some not so smart mistakes and the Czechs used it and they changed the match, and at the end we lost with three.
Today we were a little bit lucky I think. Sometimes you need luck also. Last match we didn’t have it and today it was our turn so I think that was the margins, because on 24:24 it can go both ways, but that’s handball.
