Image: BEATE OMA DAHLE (NTB)
Coach Herbert Müller’s team suffered a clear 27:41 (14:25) defeat against the Olympic champions in Trondheim on Wednesday. This means that after the first of three rounds in the second World Cup phase, the ÖHB team still has two points in its account, which they took from the 30:29 opening win against South Korea.
The French remained unbeaten in the fourth World Cup game in Northern Europe and, with six points in the main round group 2, have the best chance of advancing to the quarter-finals, just like title favorites Norway (4). The Austrians are currently fourth in the group of six, only the best two teams make it to the knockout phase. Winning points in the remaining matches on Friday (3:30 p.m.) against Angola and on Sunday (6:00 p.m.) against Slovenia is the clear goal of the ÖHB team.
In a brisk opening phase in Spektrum Trondheim, Müller’s protégés kept up well for a short time. After eight minutes it was 4:5, then the vice world champions showed their class with quick attacks and high throwing efficiency and pulled away with a 10:1 run to 15:5 (21st). At halftime the deficit to the “handball great power” (Müller) was eleven goals.
After the break, Sonja Frey, Katarina Pandza, who was in poor health, and Co. defended much more consistently and played on an equal footing with the favorites for a long time. However, the quick switching game from “Les Bleues” could not defuse the red-white-red team. The ÖHB women played solidly on offense.
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