Group A features a particularly tough lineup and include hosts and reigning champions Italy, as well as Belgium and Switzerland, together with Estonia and Germany.

The score in games was 25:22, 25:19 and 25:19 again, all in Germany's favor.

Corner forward Robert Täht told ERR after the game that: "There were no miracles today. I think we played more or less at our own level," adding that perhaps the Germans did too.

"Then they are a bit stronger than us today. We could have played better to make things a little more tense. It's a shame about the first game, that was definitely crucial," he added.

Germany is ranked sixth in the European table, while hosts Italy won the last championship in 2021.

Forward Oliver Venno told ERR ahead of the game that Estonia's main Group A aims had been to overcome Switzerland and Belgium, and while. Italy was in a class of its own, there was no reason for a lack of optimism against the Germans either.

In the event, the opening game was very even, with the lead not going more than one or two points either way until the Germans took things to 22:19, to ultimately win by three points, 25.23.

Germany started off stronger in game two to take a 5:1 lead, only for the Estonians to close the gap later on, and then lose it again as the Germans went seven points ahead at one point, leading 20:13. They took the game 25:19 in the end.

Game three was a similar story, with the Germans taking a 7:3 lead early on, maintaining a gap of between two and four points until towards the end, when they pulled further ahead, to take the game 25:19 once again, and with it the match.

 Robert Täht scored 11 points (+6) was Estonia's top scorer on Wednesday.

Estonia face hosts Italy on Thursday evening, while both ETV2 and ERR's Sport portal will be covering the clash live from 9.40 p.m. Estonian time.

The championships are being held across eight Italian cities.

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