liveblog
In the second main round game at the European Handball Championship, Germany will face the big sensation of the tournament: the Austrians. Everything about the game in the live blog.
10:55 p.m
Coach Pajovic with a Germany past
Austria’s Slovenian coach Ales Pajovic took over the team in 2019 and has continuously developed it since then. The former backcourt left-hander played for THW Kiel in the Bundesliga for a few months in 2007 and for SC Magdeburg from 2011 to 2013. Although national coach Gislason coached Magdeburg and Kiel for many years, Pajovic was never Gislason’s player.
9:27 p.m
Long history against Austria
On February 6, 1938, the German national handball team played against Austria for the first time – it was the second official international match ever. The game ended 5:4 for Germany. The DHB won 32 of 37 meetings. Victory went to Austria three times – most recently in January 2014.
8:00 p.m
Beware of Bilyk and Hutecek
Nikola Bilyk and Lukas Hutecek are the Austrians’ two Bundesliga legionnaires – and both are extremely dangerous. Together with former Bundesliga professional Robert Weber, they are the best goalscorers – almost every attack comes from the backcourt duo – and so far with great success. Sportschau reporter Robin Tillenburg introduces the Austrian team here.
6:33 p.m
Julian Köster “world class” according to national coach
“Despite his young age, he has matured into a world-class defensive player,” said national coach Alfred Gislason about Julian Köster, who scored the last highly celebrated goal against Iceland. “What sets him apart is that he reads the opponent’s game.” The DHB coach would prefer to let Köster play all the time. But he knows that he has to manage Köster’s strength: “I usually replace Köster after a quarter of an hour in the attack. I need him in defense until the end of the game,” said Gislason.
5:11 p.m
Wolff: Austria is the “team of the hour”
Andreas Wolff, match winner in the 26:24 win against the Icelanders, looks ahead. “We are now playing against the team of the hour, which has so far surprised us extremely positively and has an exceptional player in its ranks in Mykola Bilyk. They will demand everything from us,” said Germany’s goalkeeper and recalled the Austrians’ successes at this European Handball Championship: Clearer Victory over Romania, a draw against the top teams Croatia and Spain, and on Thursday the narrow victory against the previously unbeaten Hungarians. With three points, Ales Pajovic’s team is currently in second place in the table.
4:17 p.m
Cake and serenade for birthday child Steinert
After the emotional win against Iceland, Germany’s handball players celebrated backcourt player Christoph Steinert’s birthday and the first two points of the European Championship main round.
3:12 p.m
Gislason has ticked off the Iceland victory and respects Austria
Directly after the game against Iceland, Alfred Gislason was actually already thinking about the next opponent. “I spent relatively little time with the news on my cell phone, but rather spent time with the Austrians well into the night,” reported the national coach on Friday, demanding full concentration from his protégés around goalkeeper Andreas Wolff: “Every game is a final and it starts all over again. A defeat against Austria – and the dream of the semi-final would be over.”
