Poland lost 29-24 to Germany in the final of the men's handball world championship on Sunday in Cologne.

The Poles, who never came so far in the competition before, were behind 13-17 by halftime.

Polish president Lech Kaczynski, in Germany specially for the game, said before the match that he had "deep faith" in the Poles' success.

Asked if Poland's victory would harm Polish-German relations, Kaczynski said he was "convinced" this would not happen, the PAP news agency reported.

Kaczynski watched the game together with German president Horst Koehler.

Source: Xinhua