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January 16, 2025Austria secured their second win at the IHF Men’s World Championship after beating Qatar 28:26 in the Žatika Arena in Poreč, Croatia. The game remained tight throughout, but Austria managed to keep a narrow lead while Qatar, despite a strong performance, was forced to concede a loss, with the European side sealing a main round spot.
GROUP C
Austria vs Qatar 28:26 (16:14)
Qatar were determined to bounce back after a heavy defeat against France and had another good start of the match. Unlike their opening match, where they struggled with outside shooting, leaving their backcourt players almost empty-handed, they found their rhythm early, with left back Frankis Marzo leading the way.
The game remained tight in the opening moments, with Qatar’s well-organised defence, constantly shifting between formations. All in order to stop Austria’s back shooters while keeping their ranks tight on the line, preventing Austria from making a break. That tactical decision went well for them and kept the game balanced.
As Austria settled in the match, their goalkeeper Constantin Möstl saved a few important shots, and his team responded by increasing their tempo. Two quick 2:0 runs helped them pull ahead 12:9 after 18 minutes. But despite this momentum, Austria could not maintain control. Head coach Aleš Pajovič tried to change the approach with a few rotations, including bringing Florian Kaiper between the posts.
However, things didn’t go as planned. Qatar found new energy when Irhad Alihodžić made two crucial saves in a row, sparking a late first-half comeback. Still, Austria managed to restore a narrow two-goal lead, 16:14, heading into the break.
The same scenario extended into the first ten minutes of the second half with neither side showing progress compared to the first 30 minutes. Nerves were, and poor decisions on moments soon saw Qatar trail as Austria seemed to found a new impetus, forcing head coach Veselin Vujović to call for a time-out. “We need a goal or their two-minute suspension. We have enough time, just attack,” was heard by the team.
But intent doesn’t always translate into execution. Things started to go awry, prompting another timeout just six minutes later. By then, Franko Lastro and Elias Kolfer had extended Austria’s lead to 21:15, their biggest in the match and what proved to be decisive for the end result.
Left wing Sebastian Frimmel led Austria’s attack with nine goals, while line player Tobias Wagner and right wing Franko Lastro netted five in their 28:26 win. On the other side, left back Frankis Marzo remained Qatar’s main weapon, scoring 11 times, thus earning the hummel Player of the Match award.
With two straight wins, Austria will now battle for the top spot of the group against also unbeaten France, having already sealed their main round spot, while Qatar will seek their main round berth against fellow Asian side, Kuwait, which also lost both games at the competition.
hummel Player of the Match: Frankis Marzo (Qatar)