The situation in Group I of the main round was complicated even further, after Norway dealt Hungary a 37:33 loss, while Slovenia got a narrow 28:27 win against Austria, as Slovenia and Norway are top on three points, with Austria third with two points behind the final day of the main round on Tuesday.

MAIN ROUND GROUP I
Austria vs Slovenia 27:28 (14:14)

Austria and Slovenia played some hard-fought matches in the group stage, and their meeting was equally dramatic. Following a one-goal win, Slovenia now have three points, trailing group leaders Norway only on goal difference, while Austria remain on two points. Both quarter-final spots in Group I will be decided tomorrow, when Slovenia face Hungary and Austria meet Norway.

Slovenia enjoyed a better start to the match, working well in defence and denying Austria any goals between the second and tenth minutes. A 4:0 run saw the Slovenians pull clear to a 5:1 lead, yet Austria, who had won all three of their previous matches at Poland 2025, soon woke up.

Leon Theodor Bergmann, who had made a significant impact in all of Austria’s previous games in the tournament, started to make some spectacular saves, which helped his team enjoy a 6:0 run between the 10th and 18th minutes. As a result, Michael Draca’s team, who needed a win to secure an early quarter-final spot, seized an 8:6 lead and now seemed to have the upper hand.

Slovenia then suffered another blow, as their player Tio Malovic received a direct red card for a rough challenge on Florian Budde. However, the Slovenes picked themselves up and drew level, and the rivals were still tied at 14:14 at half-time after both missed chances to pull ahead shortly before the break.

Slovenia replaced their goalkeeper Mark Šalamon with Jan Češek in the second half, and after the teams traded goals for a long time, the Slovenes created a two-goal gap in the 42nd minute, 20:18. Austria equalized again, yet their rivals were determined to win and continued to push for victory. Lun Ključanin stood out in their squad, ultimately scoring six goals.

Two minutes from full-time, Slovenia again led by two goals, 28:26, before Jonas Kofler’s goal and Bergmann’s 11th save of the match seemed to give Austria a lifeline. However, the Austrians failed to score from their last attack, as Clemens Möstl’s shot went wide, so it was Slovenia who celebrated an important win.
Player of the Match: Clemens Möstl (Austria)

Norway vs Hungary 37:33 (18:13)
The opening game of the main round Group I was very important for both sides, as Norway entered the current stage of competition with one point, while Hungary had no points. Thanks to the victory, the Nordic side improved their chances to reach the quarter-finals, while their Hungarian rivals now have no chance of reaching the top eight.

Norway’s aggressive defence forced the Hungarians to make turnovers time after time early in the match, so the Scandinavians opened up a 6:2 lead seven minutes into the game. Their wings Kasper Iversen and Even Haugli were hard to stop, and Hungary needed some time to adjust their defence.

Hungary improved their game and tried to hit back, slashing the gap to just one goal midway through the opening half, 9:10. Between minutes 12 and 21, Norway had a slump in their form and scored just two goals, but they regained their firepower before the break, as Iversen had a special impact in the first half, scoring six goals from as many attempts.

Following a timeout, Henrik Hartz Hagen scored with a powerful shot in the last second before the break, so the Norwegians felt comfortable, having a five-goal advantage after 30 minutes. While Hungary hoped to mount a strong comeback after the restart, they only managed to cut the deficit to three goals by the 40th minute, 20:23.

In the following five minutes, line player Jens Holter powered a 4:0 run, helping Norway to pull clear by seven goals. Hungary continued to lose many balls, and the cold-blooded Norwegians punished their rivals for their mistakes. With eight minutes remaining, an eight-goal gap between the sides (32:24) suggested that the outcome was all but clear, and Hungary only slightly sweetened a bitter pill by cutting the gap to four goals in the remaining time.

Iversen became the best player of the game with eight goals, while Hagen, who was named the Player of the Match, added seven more and also delivered eight assists. For Hungary, Richárd Csanálosi and Tamás Kovács netted five goals each.

Player of the Match: Henrik Hartz Hagen (Norway)