Desolate DHB women stumble into the quarterfinals
Germany's women's handball team advances to the Olympic quarterfinals despite a crushing defeat against European champions Norway. The fourth loss in the fifth game doesn't matter as South Korea also loses to Denmark, the world's third-ranked team.
Fifth game, fourth loss - but the quarterfinals await: Germany's women's handball team finished the Olympic preliminary round with a 18:30 (8:14) loss to European champions Norway, but still secured a spot in the knockout round thanks to Denmark's victory over South Korea.
Captain Emily Bölk and her teammates' support paid off. Back in the Olympic Village, they learned of Denmark's crucial win over South Korea (28:20). With a three-way tie, the DHB women placed fourth in Group A ahead of South Korea and Slovenia (both with two points) and will join the German men's team in the quarterfinals in Lille.
Reaching the quarterfinals is a significant achievement for German women's handball. In Paris, the team is competing in the Olympics for the first time since 2008, and this is the first time they've reached the knockout round since 1992.
"Cards are shuffled again"
Next up for coach Markus Gaugisch's team is France, the reigning world champions and Olympic champions. "Now the cards are shuffled again," said midfielder Xenia Smits. But they'll need a completely different German team to face them in Lille, as they were overwhelmed by the Norwegians. "We can't show up like that," said Smits: "I don't work this hard to come here and get slaughtered."
The German team couldn't build on their performance against Denmark (27:28) against Norway. Missed shots and lapses in defense cost them a better result. Bölk, Viola Leuchter, and Antje Döll each scored three goals, while goalkeeper Katharina Filter made several strong saves to prevent a worse loss.
The Gaugisch-led team, which couldn't have qualified for the quarterfinals on its own, struggled against one of the tournament favorites and missed several clear scoring opportunities. In defense, the DHB squad was repeatedly caught off guard by Norway's fast-paced play.
Off to a good start
The game started well for the sixth-ranked team. Germany quickly took a 3:0 lead and didn't concede a single goal in the first six minutes. However, a nearly 10-minute scoring drought put them behind 3:7. Gaugisch called a timeout, but Norway stayed in control, with better passing and shooting accuracy.
In the second half, the German team started promisingly. Filter's saves helped Germany close the gap to four goals (40'), but missed shots and simple turnovers stalled their comeback. After three-quarters of the game, the outcome was practically decided at 15:22.
Despite facing challenges in their previous matches, the German women's handball team is now enthusiastically looking forward to their quarterfinals game against France, taking place in Lille, a city renowned worldwide, specifically in Paris's neighboring region. After a disappointing performance against Norway, the team is determined to put up a stronger showing in their upcoming match.
