France are ready to take a second victory at the 2023 Men's World Championship against the least experienced team in Group B, Saudi Arabia. The second match of the day in the Spodek Arena brings a crucial clash for co-hosts Poland, who will try to make amends and defeat Slovenia in front of 11,000 fans.

• 18:00 CET France vs Saudi Arabia

France started their 2023 Men's World Championship journey with a hard-fought victory over co-hosts Poland. Despite missing out on some of the key players already in the preparation period, and Luka Karabatić and Valentin Porte in the first match due to health problems, Guillaume Gille's team gave their best in a packed Spodek Arena.

The Olympic champions are favourites in the second match against Saudi Arabia and have a good chance of taking over the group standings after two rounds. France's next opponents will have to present their best performance if they want to keep the dream of the main round alive.

The Asian side could not keep up with Slovenia in round one, mostly due to their lack of efficiency in front of the opponents' goal. When you compare the two sides, it is no wonder everyone talks about an almost certain victory for France.

"We will have to remain serious and keep the rhythm of the competition by trying to involve all 16 players on the score sheet. A few players stand out in Saudi Arabia: captain and line player Hassan Al-Janabi, back players Mohammed Al Abas and Mojtaba Al Salem, as well as right winger Ahmad Al-Abdulali", said French head coach Érick Mathé to ffhandball.fr.

The Asian side has not won a single match against any European side in history, and France will make sure it stays that way. The two countries have met only once in their rich World Championship history. France defeated Saudi Arabia by 30:23 at the 2003 Men's World Championship.

• 20:30 CET Poland vs Slovenia

The match Poles are waiting for is the last match of the day in the Spodek Arena in Katowice. After 11,000 fans supported Poland with a loud roar in a narrow defeat by France, they hope to see their team win.

This is a do-or-die match for the 28th IHF Men's World Championship co-host and their main round berth. Winning over Slovenia would ease the path to Krakow, where Group B crosses paths with the top three teams from Group A.

Poland against France showed that they could keep up in a high-intensity match, never faltering and presenting the true meaning of team spirit. Slovenia will not have it easy if we see yet another top performance from Szymon Sićko and Arkadiusz Moryto.

"It would have been great if we had won against France, it would have given us an additional boost. However, it doesn't change anything. We still have two important matches ahead of us and we need to win those. I hope we will give 100% on the court, just like our fans in the stands", said the creator of three goals against France, Piotr Jędraszczyk, to zprp.pl.

Slovenia, on the other hand, entered the world's flagship handball competition with a much easier task and defeated Saudi Arabia without a sweat. Uroš Zorman's team came to the World Championship with six debutants, but it was not visible on the court.

However, it was fun and games until the end of the match when it became apparent the youngest member of the team, Staš Slatnik Jovičić, is out of the event due to an injury. Slovenia have already invited Celje Pivovarna Laško's left wing Tadej Mazej to join the team in Poland. Also, Dean Bombač, who missed the opener against Saudi Arabia, should be ready for the second match.

"We watched Poland against France and they showed that they are a very good team. Poland are playing at home in front of their fans and they will be favourites. However, we will give our best and try to win", said hummel Player of the Match, Blaž Janc, according to zprp.pl,, who will meet with many friends from his playing days in Kielce.

Poland and Slovenia have a rich history of meet-ups - 12 of them at the World Championship, Olympics Games and EHF EURO. Looking over the two World Championship head-to-heads, both sides took a win. At the 2007 World Championship, Poland won by 38:27, while at Spain 2013, Slovenia narrowly defeated Poland by 25:24.