Germany’s handball players have one less competitor in the fight for the last semi-final ticket. Austria lost its final main round game against Iceland 24:26 (8:14) and no longer has a chance of one of the top places.
Only the best two in the group qualify for the semi-finals.
Before the final German main round game this evening (8.30 p.m./ARD and Dyn) against Croatia, the DHB team is second in the group – and can secure a place in the semi-finals with a win.
If Hungary wins against Olympic champions France, national coach Alfred Gislason’s team would be eliminated in the event of their own defeat.
Austria was one of the surprise teams at this European Championship and sparked a small handball boom at home. With a win over Romania and a draw against the former world champions Spain and Croatia, the ÖHB selection qualified for the second phase of the tournament. There, reaching the semi-finals seemed very close after the success over Hungary and a draw against Germany. But defeats against France and Iceland caused the dream to collapse.