In front of a sold-out arena in Malmö, Sweden secured top spot in the group at the European Championship. A 33–25 victory over Croatia means the Swedes carry two crucial points into the main round.
Sweden came out fired up from the first whistle. An aggressive defensive setup gave Michael Appelgren a strong start in goal, and Croatia had to wait almost six minutes before scoring their first goal.
In attack, Sweden showed impressive depth, with contributions from across the lineup. Eric Johansson was influential both as a finisher and a playmaker, while Lukas Sandell found his rhythm scoring four quick goals. Wonderkid Nikola Roganovic took over penalty duties from Hampus Wanne and was flawless in the first half, finishing with four goals from five attempts.
Sweden went into halftime with a 17–13 lead. And while the first-half start was solid, the opening of the second half was outstanding. Andreas Palicka stepped into goal and completely shut the door, saving shots from distance, one-on-ones, and even a penalty, as Sweden surged ahead to 22–14.
Croatia never recovered from that blow, and Sweden cruised to a comfortable and well-deserved victory. The national team now carries two vital points into the main round, where Slovenia awaits on Friday.