The high goal of third place in Group I and the entry into the game for fifth place is therefore out of reach. The Austrians will conclude the home European Championship on Wednesday (6.15 p.m., live on ORF1) against Belarus. With a win or a draw, Ales Pajovic’s team would take eighth place in the tournament. After all, that would be the best final placement of an ÖHB men’s team ever.
“It was the sixth game, we played five of them brilliantly. Then there are moments when everything doesn’t fit, said Pajovic in the ORF interview immediately after the end of the game.” Losing against Germany is not bad, it is only important that we will continue to stand together. “
Euro defeat against Germany
Austria’s handball players have also lost their third game in the European Championship main round. Germany clearly won 22:34 in the Wiener Stadthalle.
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Long first half balanced
In keeping with the charming neighborhood duel, there was a real EM atmosphere right from the start. Thousands of German fans cheered on their team again frenetically. And who of the red-white-red supporters had hoped that the DHB selection would be counted after the defeat against Croatia was disappointed. The hosts immediately found themselves in a passionate fighting game. From Nikola Bilyk’s goal to 1-0, the game rocked back and forth.
Austria initially bribed with variable play: Bilyk and Janko Bozovic from the back, Fabian Posch from the district, Sebastian Frimmel (left) and Robert Weber from the outside positions all met in the initial phase. Thomas Eichberger showed his dream form at the ÖHB gate. Defense specialist Lukas Herburger, headed by 6-0, also worked. Despite one or two mistakes on the offensive, Bilyk made it 5-3 in the tenth minute.
Inspired by the enthusiastic audience and some terrific Eichberger parades, the Austrians were soon 7: 5 in the front. Germany used some tough two-minute penalties from the North Macedonian referees against the ÖHB team to make it 7: 7. Up to the 20th minute, the Pajovic group consistently outnumbered. Goals from Frimmel and Posch as well as another outstanding Eichberger nevertheless enabled a 10: 9 lead. But then the break-in followed.
Germans are constantly running away
The second DHB goalkeeper Johannes Bitter held a seven meter from Weber. The offensive 3-2-1 coverage of the Germans caused great problems for the Austrians in this phase. The lightning-fast wing Timo Kastening was successful several times on the counterattack – except for the powerful Eichberger. Bilyk stayed on the bench, Daniel Dicker played for him. Weber countered with a double strike at 12:13, but then the Germans settled to 16:12.