Sovereign 29:20

Austria starts World Championship with victory against Egypt!

Successful start to the Handball World Championship for Ines Ivančok-Šoltić and Co.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Austria's national women's handball team has made a successful start to the World Championship in Germany and the Netherlands!

The ÖHB team celebrated an unchallenged 29:20 victory against newcomers Egypt in Rotterdam and can therefore already plan on advancing to the main round. Further opponents in preliminary round Group E are Argentina on Sunday (6 p.m.) and the Netherlands on Tuesday (8.30 p.m.).

ÖHB team even trailed 4:7 in the opening phase
The Austrians, who were short of substitutes - Katarina Pandza, Johanna Reichert and, most recently, Lorena Baljak had to withdraw due to injury - started nervously, were not always stable in defense and even trailed 4:7 in the early stages. "But that was the nervousness. I always had confidence in the team at that point," said team boss Monique Tijsterman in the ORF interview. This was followed by an improvement and a two-goal lead at the break.

After the break, the ÖHB team quickly pulled away to 20:14 before slight carelessness crept in again and the Egyptians closed the gap to three goals at 22:19. The difference in class then became clear, however, as the Austrians scored six goals in a row against their group opponents, who were clearly the weakest on paper, and held on for the win.

"We showed that we are the better team!"
Tijsterman was satisfied afterwards. "The relief is huge. The first half wasn't so good, then we had a good chat in the dressing room and said that we had to step on the gas and we did a bit better in the second half," the Dutchwoman summed up.

Eleonora Stankovic, the most successful ÖHB scorer with six goals, was also positive. "In the end, we showed that we are clearly the better team." Captain Ines Ivancok-Soltic expressed similar sentiments: "It was an up and down game. Everyone was nervous, but in the end we managed it well," said Ivancok-Soltic.