Coach:  Sonni Denis Vahlgreen Larsen

 

Key Players: Helgi Hildarson Hoydal (Pivot), Niklas Simonsen (Goalkeeper), Brandur Halgirsson (Left Back), Aki Egilsnes (Right Back)

 

Qualification information: EHF Qualification Europe – Group 7 Winners

 

History in Tournament: 1977-2015: DNQ

 

Overview:

 

What a six months it has been of 2017 for handball in the Faroe Islands. After winning the 2nd IHF Men’s Emerging Nations Championship in Bulgaria last month, repeating their 2015 achievement, when they won the maiden edition of the tournament in Kosovo, they have their first-ever IHF World Championship to look forward to as a nation – Algeria 2017.

 

With just over 50,000 inhabitants, the Faroe Islands comprise of 18 small islands, lying 300km north of Scotland and in the middle of Iceland and Norway, and are a self-governing nation within the Kingdom of Denmark.

 

On 8 January 2017 history was made when their men’s U21 team qualified for Algeria after they beat Finland 29:28 on home court in Tórshavn, the capital. The result meant that the home side had made it three wins out of three in their EHF Qualification Europe group after they beat the M20 EHF EURO 2016 ninth-placed side, Switzerland (28:24) and Israel (31:25).

 

Ahead of the tournament it was not expected that the final game between the hosts and Finland would decide who got the valuable ticket to Algiers, but it was to prove to be. Finland needed a three-goal (or more) win to grab the qualification spot to north Africa, but by half-time, they were four goals down (16:12).

 

Helgi Hildarson Hoydal scored eight goals in the match and when he smashed home to make it 28:25 near the end the arena knew history was to be made as they eventually went on to win 29:28.

 

Local media called it “one of the biggest sporting events in Faroese history…” and after the match Hoydal was interviewed on national media and, along with the whole squad, went to visit the Prime Minister.

 

“It’s pretty hard to describe what it feels like,” he said to local media after the result. “I probably haven’t fully grasped how important the match was yet, but of course it’s great. I even felt a bit emotional seeing the crowd at the game.

 

“When I meet people now they stop to congratulate us,” he continued. “The attention is a bit weird when you aren’t used to it.”

 

Ári Rouch, co-ordinator at the Faroese Handball Federation was also full of pride.

 

“Those of us who work with national handball on a daily basis are aware that many of our junior teams are at relatively high level,” he told local media. “A good year of players and a lucky draw could mean a place in the finals and that it what has happened at this point…it’s a sensation.”

 

Such results – and a hope by the Faroese Handball Federation who aim to be in the top 24 handball nations in Europe by 2024 – seemed far away just two years ago. No male team was involved in the M18 EHF EURO 2014 or IHF World Youth Championship 2015 qualifying, and did not make the final round of M20 EHF EURO 2016 qualifying after losing their qualifying round matches against the Macedonians (21:17) and Switzerland (23:12), despite drawing against Montenegro (25:25).

 

The provisional squad named for Algeria features all the players who were part of that M20 EHF EURO 2016 qualifying tournament, and all but one involved in the qualifying tournament for Algeria. With players mainly based in the Islands, the Faroes can boast a pair of SG Flensburg-Handewitt players – goalkeeper Hordur Trygvason and left back Brandur Halgirsson, while another goalkeeper, Niklas Simonsen, plays his club handball for Skjern in Denmark.

 

Right back Aki Egilsnes is set to reach the 100-goals scored mark in Algeria for his country, have struck 95 times in his 21 national team games. Just 10 of the 28 names have played double figures for their country.

 

In preparation for Algeria, they have played a number of friendly matches at the Energicenter Voldparken in Brønshøj, Denmark, losing 25:22 against IF Stadion and 30:29 against Ystad but beating Ajax Kobenhavn 23:17 before facing Korsør/Slagelse Elitehåndbold in their final match.

 

Sonni Larsen, the Faroe Island head coach admitted their group in Africa is strong with Germany, Norway and Hungary the biggest tests, but also added that the mood in his camp is one of joy and that they will be hoping to get at least one win in their group.

 

Group at Algeria 2017:

Group A: Germany, Hungary, Korea, Chile, Faroe Islands, Norway

 

Games at Algeria 2017

All times local

 

Tuesday 18 July, 14:00 hrs FAR-CHI

Thursday 20 July, 20:00 KOR-FAR

Friday 21 July, 18:00 NOR-FAR

Sunday 23 July, 18:00 FAR-GER

Monday 24 July, 18:00 FAR-HUN

 

You can follow the Faroe Islands team campaign on their official channels: Website, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

 

IHF Website & Social Media:

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