SERBIAN WOMEN’S HANDBALL TEAM DRAWS WITH SLOVENIA IN FIRST PLAYOFF MATCH

CELJE, APRIL 9 /SRNA/ – The Serbian women's handball team drew with Slovenia in Celje, finishing the first match of the playoff for qualification to the World Championship with a score of 29:29 /14:13/.

The return match will be played in Bor on April 13, and Serbia has reason to be hopeful after their performance in Slovenia.

Serbia, led by Norwegian head coach Bent Dahl, gave their all to secure a victory in a match full of twists and turns, where Tjaša Stanko, who scored 14 goals, proved to be an unsolvable enigma.

Andrea Lekić opened the match with five goals from five shots, carrying Serbia in those moments.

In the second half, Serbia took a three-point lead /26:23/, but the Slovenians quickly responded, taking the lead at 29:28 near the end, before Janjušević equalized.

The Slovenians then missed an open goal, and after a timeout by coach Dahl, Serbia had a final attack to win the match, but it was not successful.

After the return match in Bor, it will be known which team qualifies for the World Championship, which will be held in Germany and the Netherlands from November 26 to December 14.

The top scorer for Serbia was Andrea Lekić with seven goals. Jovana Jovović added six, Anđela Janjušević five, while Dragana Cvijić and Katarina Krpež-Šlezak scored three each.