Austria’s handball women had an easier game than HC Linz

The first stage goal has been achieved: Austria’s handball women had an easy game in the third and final World Cup preliminary round match in Stavanger and defeated the blatant outsiders Greenland, who celebrate a party with their loud fans even after defeats, 43:23 (20:13). .

The top scorer was once again Katarina Pandza with eight direct hits. “We all played an incredible match, we can continue like this,” said the 21-year-old Croatia legionnaire.

The path to the main round, in which France, Slovenia and, most likely, Angola (or Iceland) will be the opponents from Wednesday, is clear.

Herbert Müller’s red-white-red selection takes two “bonus points” from the South Korea game (30:29) into their group of six in Trondheim. There are two quarter-final tickets at stake.

“We are extremely relieved and happy. We were able to save energy. The promotion is a huge deal for us,” emphasized Josefine Huber: “Now we want more.” The 28:45 debacle against title favorites Norway has long been over; that was an expected defeat.

For the men of HC Linz AG, however, the international trip this season is over. Steaua Bucharest was one size too big in the third round of the European Cup. Even the great wish of winning the home match in front of 400 eyewitnesses in SMS Kleinmünchen did not come true.

The Upper Austrians around top scorer Mislav Grgic (8 goals) and man of the match, Nicolas Paulnsteiner (7), had not led once, the bottom line was a narrow 30:31 (12:17) defeat and a clear elimination the overall score of 53:64. Coach Milan Vunjak’s protégés could at least console themselves with the fact that, like in Romania, they won the second half with +4.

“The performance at home was absolutely fine, the team fought until the end and gave everything,” said HC Linz AG sports director Klemens Kainmüller: “It’s a shame that we couldn’t reward ourselves with a win.”

The experience gained is definitely priceless, the European Cup (completely different from football) is a “cost trap”. The trips to Thessaloniki and Bucharest undoubtedly put a strain on the budget. Who knows what other expensive destinations would have come out of the draw?

Round of 16 side Krems is still in business after a 32:32 defeat at Vestmannaeyjar from Iceland.