Kosovo beats Ukraine in a match that gives it hope for the European Championship

With goals from Egzon Gjuka and captain Valon Dedaj in the final minutes of the handball match, Kosovo beat Ukraine 31:30.

With Thursday evening’s win, Kosovo kept its hopes of qualifying for next year’s European Championship alive. The match was part of the third round of Group 6 in qualifying for “Euro 2026”.

Kosovo won the first half 16:12. It maintained its lead for a long time in the second half as well. Ukraine came back, but the “Dardanians” were more focused and ultimately celebrated a great victory. The match was played at the Palace of Youth and Sports in Pristina, in front of a large crowd.

The victory increases Kosovo’s chances of qualifying for the European Championship, which would be a historic achievement. Kosovo will play Ukraine again on Sunday, but in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Ukraine plays its home matches in other countries because of the Russian invasion. The top two teams in the group qualify for the European Championship.

The four best third-placed teams also qualify, from the eight groups in total.

Kosovo is pursuing its chances through a third-place finish. Next year’s European Championship will be held in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, from January 15 to February 1.