FINAL REVIEW: Host nation hold their nerve to emerge victorious in a low-scoring Men’s 18 EHF Championship Final
Austria claim gold on home court
Sunday’s Men’s 18 EHF Championship Final saw host nation Austria come out on top of a low-scoring tussle with Czech Republic to claim the title in front of a full house in Tulln.
The two outstanding sides in the competition finally came face-to-face in the decider and there was little to choose between the sides in the opening quarter hour.
A five-goal run for Austria then turned the game on its head and they held a commanding 12:7 lead at the break.
Try as they might, Czech Republic struggled to find a way past Constantin Möstl between the Austrian posts and they never really threatened their lead.
Austria’s fans could savour the final minutes of the match as they cruised to a 23:17 win, which not only handed them the title, but a spot in both the Men’s 18 and 20 EHF EURO events in two years’ time.
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Final ranking
1. Austria
2. Czech Republic
3. Netherlands
4. Turkey
5. Slovakia
6. Ukraine
7. Montenegro
8. Latvia
9. Bulgaria
10. Kosovo
11. Great Britain
12. Ireland
TEXT:
Chris O'Reilly