24:25 against Slovenia
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It just wasn't meant to be: The big dream of Austria's handball women was shattered in the decisive last preliminary round match of the home European Championship!
After a nerve-wracking, tense game, team boss Monique Tijsterman's squad were beaten 24:25 (13:13) by Slovenia in Innsbruck on Monday and thus missed out on advancing to the main round in Vienna. Slovenia will be represented there alongside group winners Norway.
The nerves did not hold at the decisive moment
The ÖHB team had been working towards the duel with the Olympic eleventh-placed team from Paris for several months, and it was clear from the draw that this would be the key match. At the crucial moment, however, their nerves did not quite hold. Their next chance of reaching the finals will be in the play-off for the 2025 World Cup in April, which is still to be drawn.
The result:
Four days after the completely unchallenged 37:24 opening win against Slovakia and two days after the 24:38 defeat against defending champions Norway, the hosts got off to a good start in the first real endurance test of the European Championships in front of 3341 spectators. The 6:3 (12th) gave hope of an early lead, but was squandered eight minutes later. While the ÖHB women warmed up Slovenia's goalkeeper up front, their opponents worked their way back in a generally nervous game and took the lead for the first time at 8:7 (20').
Closely contested game until the end
From then on, it remained a hard-fought game. Austria could not really get the two Slovenian figureheads Tjasa Stanko and Ana Abina under control, but scored again themselves, not least thanks to backcourt player Johanna Reichert in her 50th international match. However, they continued to struggle - even after the break.
Fatal missed seven-meter penalty
Goalkeeper Antonija Mamic, who had already come on as a substitute in the first half, prevented a three-goal deficit in the 38th minute with a saved seven-meter penalty, but Austria actually conceded 14:17 after another simply missed attack. But the morale was to hold ...
Reichert and Co. were back in the game at 20:20 (46'), even went 21:20 ahead again (47') and maintained a slight advantage for the time being. However, disaster struck when Ines Ivancok-Soltic missed a seven-meter penalty (57'). Slovenia went 25:23 in front with exactly two minutes to go and did not allow Austria to get any closer.
"Players weren't ready yet"
For Tijsterman, who made her first major appearance as Herbert Müller's successor, the offensive performance was the crucial point. "We didn't do the things we wanted to do in attack," said the Dutchwoman. Not all of her players had found their personal limit. "We need everyone to give 100 percent against a team like that." Her conclusion ahead of the upcoming tasks: "We still need some time, the players weren't ready today."
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