Dramatic Last-second Penalty Secures Draw for Faroe Islands Against Serbia in World Championship Thriller
Dortmund, Germany – December 2nd, 2023 – In a stunning finish at the women’s World Handball Championship, the faroe islands secured a dramatic 31-31 draw against Serbia with a penalty goal in the final seven seconds. The result marks a notable moment for the tournament debutants,showcasing their resilience against a traditionally strong Serbian side.
The match, played in Dortmund, saw Serbia leading for much of the first half, establishing a three-goal advantage on multiple occasions (10:7, 16th minute/13:10, 23rd minute) before entering halftime trailing by only two goals. The second period mirrored the first,with Serbia maintaining a narrow lead until a pivotal shift in momentum sparked by the Faroe Islands’ goalkeeping change.
After Annika Fridheim Petersen made three saves, Rakul Wardum entered the game and made a crucial save against Serbian winger Sanja Radosavljevic in the 44th minute (23:23), shifting the balance. Shortly after, Serbia’s Teodora Veličković received a direct red card for a defending foul, confirmed by video review, allowing Faroe islands captain Pernille Brandenborg to convert the resulting penalty and take the lead (24:23, 45th minute).
The lead exchanged hands several times in a tense final stretch. Dragana Cvijić equalized for Serbia (25:25), while the Faroes briefly regained a two-goal advantage (28:26) following a turnover forced by Anna Elisabeth Weyhe. However, Jovana Skrobic’s late double put Serbia ahead (31:30) with under a minute remaining, after Brandenborg’s seven-meter shot was saved by Jovana Risović.
A Faroe Islands timeout proved crucial. Though Suna Hansen’s shot was remarkably saved by Risović,the Serbian goalkeeper’s subsequent keep-ball strategy backfired. Jovana Jovovic was penalized with a direct red card after interfering with Faroes possession following a video review, awarding a seven-meter throw to the Faroes with just seven seconds left on the clock.
Jana Mittun stepped up and calmly slotted home her 10th goal of the game, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Faroes players and their supporters.
“I just had to score,” said mittun after the match. “It was really fun. It was up and down the whole game and I am sad we didn’t win.”
Jana mittun was named hummel Player of the Match for her performance.
The draw represents a remarkable achievement for the Faroe Islands in their first appearance at the World Women’s Handball Championship, demonstrating their competitive spirit and ability to perform under immense pressure.
