It was neither easy nor pretty, but Poland finally opened their account at the 2023 IHF Men’s World Championship, taking a hard-fought win against Saudi Arabia (27:24), after the Asian side had previously cut the gap to a single goal with nine minutes to go.

Group B

Poland vs Saudi Arabia 27:24 (13:12)

If one had asked every Poland fan how their favourite team would perform at the IHF Men’s World Championship, which they co-hosted, every one of them would have answered the same: the team was going to go at least to the quarter-finals.

The expectations were tempered by two losses to start the competition against France and Slovenia, the latter being the one with the most significant impact. A nine-goal drubbing prompted coach Patryk Rombel to change something in his team and there were plenty of new names on the court, as right back Michał Daszek was only on the bench while Tomasz Gębala was out of the 16-team lineup entirely.

However, the Spodek Arena in Katowice was once again sold out, with the fans flocking to see their favourites one last time in the preliminary round, as the team was slated to move to Krakow if they made it to the main round. And nobody could have expected Poland to have serious trouble against Saudi Arabia.

But there they were, after 30 minutes, boasting a one-goal advantage (13:12) and finishing the first half on a high after a totally underwhelming performance which saw them trailing by two goals at times.

Slow in attack and failing to break the excellent connection between the backs and the line players for the Asian side, Poland found themselves in trouble, only to be rescued once again by their top scorer in the competition, right wing Arkadiusz Moryto, who scored 46% of his side’s goals in the first half, six out of 13.

Moryto and Szymon Sićko’s experience were the decisive factors in the match, as the towering left back constantly frustrated his opponents with his powerful shots that saw them score three goals in a row, fueling a 3:0 run for Poland to start the second half. Another 4:0 run between the 37th and 41st minutes was the moment when the co-hosts created a four-goal cushion for the first time (21:16).

It was also the moment when the Spodek Arena came to life, with the home fans cheering exactly when Poland needed it the most. Between the two, Moryto and Sićko scored 17 goals in the match, or 62.9% of Poland’s total goals against Saudi Arabia, and the co-hosts never looked back, but it was not for the Asian side’s lack of trying.

With only nine minutes to go, Saudi Arabia cut the gap to a single goal (23:22) and even had the chance to tie the match. Yet those costly turnovers – 12 at the end of the match – cost them their chance as Poland’s steals yielded goals on fast breaks, with the hosts eventually sealing the win, 27:24.

Poland are through to the next phase of the competition with a single win in three matches and will move to Krakow with zero points, as many as the Islamic Republic of Iran and two behind Montenegro and Slovenia, with group leaders Spain and France each boasting four points.

It will be mission impossible for Poland, who will probably fill up the Tauron Arena in Krakow, but they will need to improve – and fast – if they are to take any points or enjoy a better finish in the final standings.

A gritty Saudi Arabia side that had previously lost against Slovenia and France proved their worth and will be energised for the President’s Cup, where they are slated to face Chile, Uruguay and the Republic of Korea.

hummel Player of the Match: Szymon Sićko (Poland)