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Handball: Holders Germany miss out on semifinals

January 24, 2018

Germany have reached the end of the road in the EHF European handball championship. The holders couldn't keep up with Spain, who ran away with the contest in the second half and set up a last four clash with France.

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Handball EM | Deutschland - Spanien
Image: Reuters/A. Bronic

Holders Germany are out after slumping to a 27-31 defeat against Spain, who are joined in the last four by France, Sweden and Denmark, who had already qualified on Tuesday.

Germany held their own against Spain in an even first half but could not keep up with the pace after the interval as Ferran Sole and Alex Dujshebaev netted five goals each for the winners.

Denmark, who qualified without throwing a ball as other results went their way, made sure they finished top of their group with a 31-20 drubbing of Macedonia, and will face Sweden in an all-Scandinavia semi.

France remain the only team in the 16-nation tournament with a 100 percent record after a 30-27 win over hosts Croatia at a packed Zagreb Arena, silencing a vociferous 15,000 home crowd.

France's win also sent Sweden through from Group I despite their 28-25 defeat by Norway in the afternoon fixture. The semifinals are on Friday and the final on Sunday.

mds (Reuters/AFP)