In group D on Sunday both matches will feature one loser and winner from the first round. Poland and Germany can already qualify for the main round after their opening victories against Belarus and Austria if both win on Sunday, while the latter teams stand with their backs against the wall.
GROUP D
Germany vs Austria
Sunday 16 January, 18:00 CET, live on EHFTV
- Germany had a hard nut to crack in their opener, eventually beating Belarus 32:29 after an initial 2:7 deficit, while Austria lost 31:36 against Poland
- German right back Kai Häfner and left wing Marcel Schiller both scored eight times against Belarus, the same number as Austrian left wing Sebastian Frimmel scored against Poland
- including test matches, the two sides have faced each other 36 times. Germany were victorious 31 times – including both duels in the EHF EURO 2022 qualification and the EHF EURO 2020 main round match
- Austria's Lukas Hutecek is out for the rest of the tournament after an ankle injury against Poland and will be replaced by Marin Martinovic
- Robert Weber (from German club Nordhorn) is the Austrian with the biggest number of EHF EURO matches (23), and his first goal against Germany would be his 100th EHF EURO goal
Alfred Gislason, coach Germany: “Last year we beat Austria twice in the EHF EURO qualification, but their team is completely different now, as their top stars Nikola Bilyk and Janko Bozovic are back in the squad. We have to give 100 per cent to beat Austria, otherwise we still can get eliminated despite the two points against Belarus.”
Ales Pajovic, coach Austria: “Germany are the favourites, but everything can happen in handball. We have to get our heads free and we will try to do everything.”
Poland vs Belarus
Sunday 16 January, 20:30 CET, live on EHFTV
- despite many Covid cases in their team, Poland showed a strong performance against Austria. Right wing Arkadiusz Moryto scored nine goals for the 36:31 win and was awarded Grundfos Player of the Match
- Belarus lacked efficiency in attack in the second half against Germany after a flying start. Their best scorers were Mikita Vailupau and Uladzislau Kulesh with seven goals each
- Kulesh and line player Artsem Karalek will face a huge number of teammates from their Polish club Kielce in this neighbours’ duel
- it is the sixth duel between these two teams in an official match. Poland have won three times, including both EHF EURO main round encounters in 2014 and 2016; Belarus took one victory; one match ended in a draw
- at the EHF EURO 2020, Belarus made it to the main round and finished in 10th place, while Poland lost all three matches in the preliminary round – this losing series came to an end against Austria
Patryk Rombel, coach Poland: “We need to be more disciplined in attack, as we caused too many simple mistakes against Austria and conceded too many counter-attack goals. So we have to think about a new plan for defence against the experienced Belarusian side.”
Iouri Chevtsov, coach Belarus: “Definitely we have to show more patience in attack than we did in the second half against Germany, and we have to raise our efficiency in attack against Poland. We must win to remain in the race for the main round.”
