Porec – The sensation against the record world champion did not materialize. Austria’s handball men lost the final World Cup preliminary round game against France on Saturday despite a courageous fight with 27:35 (15:19) and advanced to the main round in second place. The opponents there in Varazdin from Tuesday will be the Netherlands, Hungary and, most likely, North Macedonia. Lukas Hutecek and Co. take two points and therefore have every chance of reaching the quarter-finals.