Head-to-Head• These teams have met six times before at the World Championship. Poland won the last three encounters in 1974 (twice against East Germany) and in 2010.
• Of the three meetings before, Poland won one (1962) and East Germany two (1966, 1970).
• Their most recent meeting at a major tournament was at the 2011 European championship, when Poland beat Germany 3-1 in the group stage.
Germany• Germany will finish in the top four for the first time since 1974 (East Germany), when they finished fourth.
• They have won the tournament once, in 1970, when competing as East Germany.
• Their best result as unified Germany came at the 2010 World Championship, eighth.
• Germany's last five results have alternated (W-L-W-L-W).
• At the 2014 World Championship, they have won two (vs Finland and Bulgaria) and lost two (vs Russia and France) matches against European teams.
Poland• Poland are aiming to win their third medal at the World Championship. They won the tournament in 1974 and took the silver medal in 2006.
• They won their only previous semifinal, beating Bulgaria 3-1 in 2006.
• Poland have lost just one match at the 2014 World Championship, 3-1 against United States on 10 September.
• The only other team to have lost only one match at this tournament is Brazil.