Germany beat host nation Spain 6:5 in a shoot out after the two teams could not be separated in 60 minutes (23:23) and, as per placement match rules, the game went directly to the dramatic finale.

9/10 Placement Match
Germany vs Spain 29:28 (13:15, 10:8, SO 6:5)
Pavillon Municipal de Deportes de Pontevedra

Germany were only ahead once in the regulation 60 minutes (12:11 – 23rd minute), but they won in the end in a tense shoot out which went to the second round of shots.

In the very first shot for Spain in the second round Pol Valera Rovira – one of Spain’s highlights in their home tournament – tried to trick Till Klimpke in the German goal by shooting immediately as the referee blew his whistle but his shot hit the German and Klimpke’s side took a 6:5 shoot out win.

Klimpke was not happy with the shot though, and the goalkeeper ended the match by walking off the court to whistles from the home fans after trying to confront Rovira.

It was a sad end to Spain’s campaign on home soil in a championship where they never really got up to full speed, but the same can be said for Germany too who expected more. They had forced the tense end after coming from a 22:19 deficit in a frantic final six minutes which saw three time outs and just one Spanish goal, scored by Natan Suarez, who thought he had won it, before Jannek Klein managed to squeeze in an equaliser in the dying seconds.

“We had to finish the world championship with other feelings [than we wanted],” said Spain coach Isidoro Martinez to SpainHandball19.com. “We missed a lot of shots and both teams were at a level lower than other days, but Germany had to take the match.”

“We wanted to win, and we deserved it after so much work,” said Suarez, who scored five in the first half and 10 overall. “It is a little sad that this generation ends like this, but we are happy for having left everything on court.

“We would like to apologise to the fans because we hoped to go further in the championship.”

Best Player of the Match: Marcel Timm (GER)