The final group games were played yesterday, with France securing a perfect record after another huge win against Poland. Meanwhile, Group 2 quietly kicked off the main round, with Germany, Montenegro, and Serbia taking big wins.
A typical World Cup group stage, where the major nations have dominated, concluded yesterday. The final matchday was no exception, with France beating Poland 42–28 and the Netherlands defeating Austria 34–22.
Both teams advance top of their groups with maximum points, taking Poland and Austria with them into the main round.
The really tight games often come when the main round begins, and that was shown immediately as Group 2 got underway.
Having taken only two points from the group stage, Spain and Serbia were both under pressure to win in order to keep their quarter-final dreams alive.
Both teams came out firing in a high-scoring first half, where Spain led 19–17. But the Serbians wouldn’t go down without a fight and significantly ramped up their defense after the break.
After a tight battle that was decided in the closing minutes, Serbia managed to turn the game around, winning 31–29, a massive victory that keeps them in the race for the top two spots.
The other two games were more one-sided, with Montenegro comfortably defeating Iceland 36–27 and group favorites Germany maintaining their perfect record with a 36–26 win against the Faroe Islands.
World Cup Results
Group E: Netherlands–Austria 34–22, Argentina–Egypt 27–14
Group F: France–Poland 42–28
Main round Group 2: Spain–Serbia 29–31, Iceland–Montenegro 27–36, Germany–Faroe Islands 36–26