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Lukas Mertens (left) at the end
Photo: PETTER ARVIDSON / imago images/Bildbyran
Germany has also won its second game at the European Handball Championship.
Coach Alfred Gíslason's team won against Austria 34:29 (15:16), after beating Belarus 33:29 (17:18).
As in the opening encounter, the DHB selection initially struggled.
Outsiders Austria quickly took a 3-0 lead, and it took more than six minutes for Germany to score the first goal.
The Germans, who had to play without Julius Kühn because of a positive corona test, took the lead for the first time at 6: 5, but the game remained balanced.
The German defense had major problems with pivot Tobias Wagner in particular.
The Austrians showed themselves much improved compared to the 31:36 against Poland and didn't let their opponents get away in the second half either.
It was 20:20 after 40 minutes before the Germans started to make an intermediate sprint: Christopher Steiner increased it to 24:21 in the 44th minute – the first three-goal lead for Gíslason's team.
But it was to take until the final phase for the Austrians to run out of breath and for the Germans to achieve a sovereign victory.
Should the Poles win against Belarus in the evening (8.30 p.m.), they would be confirmed as participants in the main round, just like Germany.
In their last preliminary round game on Tuesday, the German selection will face Poland (6 p.m.) in the battle for first place in the group, while Austria will face Belarus (8.30 p.m.).
mfu
