When the final whistle of Spain vs Germany sounded at just after 7:30pm on Saturday (6 December) in the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, two sets of fans celebrated – the packed stands with over 10,000 home supporters enjoying the 29:25 German win – and the tiny contingent of Montenegrins left over from their earlier win against Serbia.

The result ensured the already-qualified Germany top main round, group IV while also confirming Montenegro in second place, the final quarter-final spot, with Spain finishing in fourth.

Main Round, Group II
Spain vs Germany 25:29 (10:13)

Markus Gaugisch and his German side ‘settled the score’ as he had suggested ahead of this match, referring to their 2021 world championship quarter-final loss, dumping Spain out of the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship with a business-like win.

While Germany knew they had qualified before the game for the last eight, they wanted to end the group stages with a win as they prepare to face Norway or Brazil in the knockout rounds, which start on Tuesday (9 December).

The game was a tale of two halves within two halves with Germany leading well in each early on and then Spain coming back both times, but they fell just short.

The first half saw the co-hosts go ahead by six (12:6, 24th minute) thanks to Annika Lott, but Martin’s side came back, reducing the deficit to two (12:10) with two minutes of the half remaining.

Five minutes into the second half, Martin called an early time out with his side on the end of 4:0 scoring run which put Spain down by seven.

Gaugisch, seemingly with the result confirmed, then moved again to four backcourt players in attack, leaving the line empty, while first-choice goalkeeper Katharina Filter was rested, with Sarah Wachter coming in. A massive smile from Emily Vogel after an in-flight goal (53rd minute) highlighted the happiness of a team cruising to victory.

But Spain’s top-scorer Danilo Patricia So-Delgado Pinto had other ideas. Quiet by her standards, the key player found her hot hand and struck six times in the half with barely 15 minutes gone.

After Delgado brought her side within three (28:25) with a trademark nine-metre rocket, Gaugisch called a timeout (57th minute), but kept Wachter in as his players delivered a organised ending, Lott making it +4 (29:25) with four minutes remaining.

“It’s too early,” said Vogel about whether she can dream about a German medal after the match. “We are really enjoying playing on the court, now the tournament starts; the ko (knockout) matches are coming. This crowd here and the energy is amazing. We had too many shots that we missed today which we could have made it clearer from the beginning, but it was a good, ok performance.”

hummel Player of the Match: Emily Vogel (Germany)