Denmark topple Norway after 19 straight wins

A perfect run came to an end in Bucharest. Denmark beat Norway 34:30 in the final of the women's EHF EURO Cup, ending Norway's run of 19 straight wins in a competition where they had also won both previous trophies. Once again the difference-maker was goalkeeper Anna Kristensen with 15 saves, just as in the semi-final against Romania. Henny Reistad scored 10 in the final and finished the tournament as top scorer with 56 - but it wasn't enough. Denmark had lost the EURO 2022 and 2024 finals, as well as the Olympic semi-final in Paris, to none other than Norway. Is this just a cup, or the first crack before the real EURO?

Romania win the neighbours' derby for bronze

Hosts Romania took bronze with a 33:30 win over Hungary, despite 11 goals from Katrin Klujber. Hungary led 12:9 behind excellent goalkeeper Zsófi Szemerey, but it was 16:16 by half-time, and a 5:1 run at the start of the second half turned the game Romania's way. Goalkeeper Bianca Curmenț was key in the closing stages, and Alexandra Szekeres made it 33:28 three minutes from time. A third-place game between two disappointed semi-finalists doesn't mean much on paper - but between neighbours with an old rivalry, nobody wanted to lose.

The new European League: 32 teams, no qualifying, final in Hamburg

The men's EHF European League kicks off in a new format: 32 clubs from 18 countries, no qualifying rounds, eight groups of four, with the top two from each going through to the knockout stage. There they are joined by 12 teams dropping out of the Champions League, and the final tournament is in Hamburg on May 22 and 23, 2027, with tickets from 75 euros. A European betting company stays on as title partner of the finals, with its deal extended through the 2027/28 season. Of interest to us: in the EHF's annual rankings, Bitola's Pelister are second favourites, right behind Germany's Flensburg. When the federation itself rates you that highly, there are no excuses.

Cervar at 76: The crowd is our extra player

Eurofarm Pelister host Spain's Logroño La Rioja in Bitola tonight at 8:45pm in the first round of the European League group stage. For Lino Cervar, it's his first international game on the Bitola bench, after three matches in the regional league and two in the domestic Super League. The legendary Croat played down the favourites' tag: "They've put us down as favourites ahead of Gummersbach and Logroño La Rioja, and that's a bit over-ambitious." His recipe is as old as his career - defence and the stands: "The crowd is our strength, our extra player. But we have to earn it." The squad includes Macedonian internationals Filip Kuzmanovski and Nikola Mitrevski, and the game will be refereed by Norwegians Magnus Nygren and Andreas Borge.

Federation fines Tikvesh and Vardar after the game in Kavadarci

The disciplinary committee of the Handball Federation of Macedonia has fined both clubs after the game in Kavadarci. Tikvesh will pay 50,000 denars for organisational failings, and Vardar 30,000 denars because objects were thrown onto the court from the away stand. The club pays the fine, not whoever did the throwing - so does the message ever actually reach the stands?