Poland mounted a comeback to beat Austria, overturning a halftime deficit and powering through the second half with a decisive 6:0 run to claim a 35:30 win and secure 11th place at Germany/Netherlands 2025.

Main Round, Group III  
Poland vs Austria 35:30 (17:18)

It was a levelled opening, with both sides trading narrow leads. Poland went up 4:3, but Austria gained a spark through Lena Ivančok, whose saves opened the door for a scoring run and a three-goal gap, with Klara Schlegel leading the Austrian attack.

Poland called a time-out during that stretch, as Arne Senstad urged his players to stop overcomplicating the attack, create clear chances, and tighten their defence. His message landed instantly, and within two minutes Poland produced a 3:0 run and levelled at 8:8, with Magda Balsam back in her usual rhythm.

Poland kept the game in a deadlock with their 5–1 defence, but Austria eventually found the recipe again and restored a three-goal lead. Still, they faltered in the closing minutes of the half, allowing Poland to cut it back to just one at the break.

The chase continued in the second half. Austria were repeatedly able to pull ahead, but Poland always responded, with Monika Kobylińska joining Magda Balsam in carrying the attack. They became even stronger as it took Poland only five minutes after the restart to claim their first lead since 4:3, moving ahead 22:21, and it gave them a new boost.

Austria’s energy dropped, turnovers piled up, and the Polish goalkeepers stepped up at exactly the right time. What had been a tight contest around the 45th minute suddenly broke wide open. Poland unleashed a devastating 6:0 run, jumping to a 31:25 lead and leaving Austria scoreless for more than eight minutes.

From there, the outcome was all but assured as Poland confidently closed out their final match of Germany/Netherlands 2025. With the win, they secured 11th place at the World Championship, a clear step up from their 16th-place finish two years ago. 

The hummel Player of the Match, Magda Balsam, led the charge with ten goals, and Monika Kobylińska followed right behind with nine. Goalkeeper Paulina Wdowiak added a strong contribution as well, stopping seven shots at a 44% rate. On Austria’s side, Klara Schlegel stood out as their top scorer with nine goals.

hummel Player of the Match: Magda Balsam (Poland)