Germany overcame a strong start from Poland to secure a convincing 35:28 win in their first game at the 29th IHF Men's World Championship. After a nip-and-tuck first half, Germany's solid defence and precise shooting allowed them to control the game and deliver in the second half. 

GROUP A
Germany vs Poland 35:28 (15:14)

Poland started strong, taking an early lead and relying on Adam Morawski's 50% save efficiency to keep Germany at bay. Ten minutes into the game, line player Kamil Syprzak extended Poland's advantage to two goals, hitting his 400th international goal for Poland. However, turnovers stopped Poland's rhythm, allowing Germany to get back on track as Justus Fischer's goal made it 8:7.

The match turned into a back-and-forth battle, with neither team being able to pull away more decisively. Poland shortly seized control, holding a narrow one or two-goal lead, thanks to effective breakthroughs and clear shots. Meanwhile, Germany struggled with their outside shots, netting only 42% of those outside backcourt shots.

However, momentum shifted again in the final moments of the first half. Andreas Wolff's crucial penalty save in the last three minutes energised Germany who grabbed the opportunity to finish strong and take a slim 15:14 advantage.

Germany had a fiery restart after halftime, opening the second half with a 3-0 goal run to stretch their lead to 18:15. Poland took nearly ten minutes to find their rhythm, but once they did, fast breaks and efficient play helped them level the score at 21:21, setting a stage for an interesting finish.

The decisive moment came between the 41st and 44th minutes, when Germany's goalkeeping duo stepped up. David Späth made two crucial saves, Andreas Wolff stopped two penalties, and Poland's missed opportunities made things harder.

These crucial moments allowed Germany to power ahead, reaching their biggest lead of the game at 24:21. While Poland's strong defence forced Germany into tough outside shots, they couldn’t completely close the gap. They only managed to come close again, being down by two goals, but that was the maxinum they could get.

Germany held their ground in the closing stages, spearheaded by Johannes Golla and Renars Uscins who scored 16 goals between them. Meanwhile, Poland struggled to keep pace, losing the flow that had kept them competitive earlier in the match. As the game went on, Germany secured a convincing 35:28 victory. Polish left back Ariel Pietrasik shined on the other side with seven goals.

Poland will seek their first win in the competition on Friday against Czechia, while Germany will take on Switzerland.

hummel Player of the Match: Johannes Golla (Germany)