Handball
Austria’s women’s national handball team only just missed qualifying for the World Cup from November 29 to December 17, 2023 in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. With the momentum of the 28:28 draw in the first leg, the ÖHB selection kept the play-off second leg open for the clearly favored Spaniards on Wednesday in Antequera and finally lost by just two goals 24:26 (12:11). Victory seemed within reach for the squad of team boss Herbert Müller right up to the end.
In a dramatic game, Austria kept up well from the start and made the nervous World Cup and European Championship guest look old again and again. Sonja Frey and Co. were usually one or two goals ahead, Spain could only take the lead for the first time shortly before the break (11:10).
Thanks to a goal by Katarina Pandza with the half-time siren, Austria even went into half-time with a 12:11 lead. After the restart, the lead increased to 14:11 and was still in the lead in the 41st minute at 17:15.
Spain creates late turning point
However, the hosts turned the game around with four goals in a row (19:17/47) and were always ahead from then until the end. Seven minutes before the end Austria was still close to the sensation with the 21:22, even with the score of 23:25 and their own attack two and a half minutes before the end everything was still possible. But it was also easy to get on my nerves. Supported by the audience, the fourth in the 2021 World Cup finally prevailed with difficulty.
Handball World Cup play-off women, second leg
Wednesday:
Spain – Austria 26:24 (11:12)
Best ÖHB throwers: K. Pandza 5, Frey 4, Kovacs 4
First leg 28:28 – Spain with a total score of 54:52 at the World Cup