Sweden vs Spain Prediction & Betting Tips - Handball World Championship

Prediction published on 28/01/2023, 14:01  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 28/01/2023 at 15:02 in Handball World Championship Predictions

This is the match no country wants to play in. It's the third and fourth place play-off between Sweden and Spain. Both countries have spent the past few weeks dreaming of reaching the final but were knocked out in the last four. It's particularly difficult for Sweden who have been the co-hosts of this 2023 Men's World Handball Championships. The 2021 finalists were hoping to add the World title to the European crown that they won last year. The Swedes had won all of their matches in this championship but then lost to France. A poor first half performance saw them go into the break four goals behind their opponents. There was to be no comeback and they eventually lost the match 31-26. That was only their second loss in 12 matches.

Spain are bidding to finish third for the second successive world championships. A win here will see them as the bronze medal winners in the World and Olympics to add to the second place they achieved in the European Championships last year. They finished top of their preliminary round group but only second (behind France) in the main round. Like their opponents, they have lost to France in this tournament. The quarter finals saw them get past Norway, winning by a single goal after extra time. That took them into a last four match against defending world champions Denmark and they lost that 26-23. That was despite a second half fightback as they'd trailed by five points at the break. Another tough match faces them here and with the Swedes having home advantage, it's Sweden who can get the win.