MUNICH (Germany) - Supporters are drawn to an underdog story, and the latest phase of the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers did not disappoint - serving up a wave of surprising results across three action-packed gamedays.
Among the results in the latest window, Ireland claimed a scalp when they beat Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bulgaria's fairytale run in the Qualifiers continued when they ousted Ukraine.
Here’s a look at the upsets, ranked by margin of victory and ranking differential according to the FIBA World Ranking Women, presented by NIKE.
# | Winning team | Losing team | Result | Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Ireland (83rd) | Bosnia and Herzegovina (29th | -54 | |
2. | Austria (82nd) | Switzerland (49th) | -33 | |
3. | Iceland (66th) | Portugal (38th) | -28 | |
4. | Israel (52nd) | Bosnia and Herzegovina (29th) | -23 | |
5. | Denmark (59th) | Croatia (40th) | -19 | |
= | Bulgaria (61st) | Ukraine (42nd) | -19 | |
7. | Latvia (37th) | Slovenia (23rd) | -14 | |
= | Austria (82nd) | Norway (68th) | -14 | |
= | Croatia (40th) | Greece (26th) | -14 | |
10. | Poland (45th) | Slovakia (34th) | -11 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina (#29) 78-81 Ireland (#83)
Fourth quarter ambush leads Ireland to glory: Ireland edged Bosnia and Herzegovina 81-78 on the road, thanks to a dominant final ten minutes of play that saw a 66-59 third quarter deficit turn into a victory. Hazel Finn led the Irish with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists as she drained three triples in her haul. She also hit the game-sealing free throws to deny Kamiah Smalls, who led the Bosnians with 27 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists.
Austria (#82) 79-66 Switzerland (#49)
Sagerer becomes a thorn in the Swiss side: Austria picked up a 79-66 victory over Switzerland in their final Group D game, with Sarah Sagerer in sublime form for the Austrians. She went 5-for-8 from the field for 20 points, pulled down 9 rebounds and protected the rim with 2 blocks as Austria eased away from their Swiss counterparts in the second quarter after an even first ten minutes, where both teams were tied at 20-20.
Iceland (#66) 62-60 Portugal (#38)
Iceland signs off in style: Iceland picked up their first win of the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket Qualifiers with a deserved 62-60 success over Portugal that needed to be decided in the final minute. Danielle Rodrigiuez hit the game-winning free throw with 50 seconds left, but needed a stop and a vital offensive rebound from Kristrun Olafsdottir to secure a win that was well celebrated when the buzzer sounded. Rodriguez ended with 20 points and 6 assists for Iceland.
Israel (#52) 94-71 Bosnia and Herzegovina (#29)
Israel assert control in the second half to win: Israel dispatched Bosnia and Herzegovina 94-71 to continue their path to what turned out to be an unbeaten adventure for them in Group A. Daniel Raber led the winners with 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Israelis took a slender 42-37 lead at the break and turned it into a 67-58 cushion after three periods, as they outscored the Bosnians 52-34 in the second half.
Denmark (#59) 81-61 Croatia (#40)
Okosun leads determined Danes past Croatia: Julianna Okosun starred for Denmark as they powered past Croatia 81-61 in their Group F clash. Okosun went 8-for-14 from the floor as she poured in 23 points and 13 rebounds. She also had 2 steals and 2 blocks in a deserved victory.
Bulgaria (#61) 81-66 Ukraine (#42)
Bulgaria stun Ukraine in first-quarter blitz: Bulgaria outscored a shellshocked Ukraine 22-10 in the first period, en route to an 81-66 victory. Borislava Hristova shot a deadly 10-for-17 from the field, leading the victors with 24 points and pulling down 5 boards. Khaalia Hillsman chipped in with 21 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes. Alina Iagupova had a game-high 24 points for Ukraine.
Latvia (#37) 79-53 Slovenia (#23)
Latvia run riot in the second half against Slovenia: After an even opening two quarters, Latvia raced away from Slovenia to claim a 79-53 win. With the game knotted at 38-38 at the half, Latvia came out of the gate strong, opening the third with a 10-0 run, and, when the final buzzer sounded, outscored Slovenia 41-15 in a total reversal of how the first half played out. Kitija Laksa amassed 21 points for Latvia.
Norway (#68) 54-81 Austria (#82)
Three-point clinic leads Austria past Norway: Austria hit 12 three-pointers and went 21-for-30 from the free throw line as they went on the road and beat Norway 81-54. Sigrid Koizar led a balanced scoring effort for the Austrians with 20 points, as she went 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. She also dished out 6 assists.
Croatia (#40) 98-73 Greece (#26)
Croatian masterclass pushes past Greeks: Croatia were inspired as they overcame Greece 98-73 in their Group F battle. Led by 27 points from Ivana Dojkic and a majestic 15-point, 8-assist outing from Lazic, the Croatians shot 51 percent from the field and connected on 12 three-pointers in an offensive onslaught that Greece couldn’t hang with.
Poland (#45) 63-55 Slovakia (#34)
Poland begin final road to perfection: Poland ousted Slovakia 63-55 behind a strong defensive showing in the first half that set the tone for their triumph and their eventual 6-0 finish in Group C. Stephanie Mavunga led the winners with 18 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 66 percent from the field.
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