DHB men are in a big group run for the win
The German men's national handball team secures the group victory in a tough preliminary round group and can now await their quarterfinal opponent. This could surprisingly be a high-caliber team.
Boosted into the quarterfinals: Germany's handballers stormed to victory in Paris, securing the group win and building momentum for the fight for Olympic medals. The team's dominant 36:29 (23:14) victory over Slovenia in the final preliminary round match was their fourth win in five games, setting them up for a quarterfinal clash in Lille against either European champions France or Hungary.
Coach Alfred Gislason's team travels to the northern French city on Monday with a great feeling, ready for the knockout round. Against the previously convincing Slovenians, who were also fighting for first place in Group A, the German team once again showed its strength. Unlike the women's team, which barely qualified for the quarterfinals as the group's fourth-placed team, the men had a strong preliminary round.
The way the team, led by captain Johannes Golla, pulled away from 13:13 to 23:14 in just ten minutes before halftime was impressive. The German team's defense was once again mobile and attentive, with strong goalkeepers, while their offense was characterized by straightforward tempo play and serious finishing. Kai Häfner was the top scorer with seven goals, while Gislason skillfully distributed playing time and gave his key players valuable rest.
Whether it's reigning Olympic champions and hosts France or Hungary, Germany can take the field on Wednesday with confidence in front of 27,000 spectators at the renovated football stadium Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Four wins in five games, including victories over handball powerhouses Sweden and Spain, fuel medal dreams. After being eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, a repeat of the bronze medal from eight years ago in Rio seems possible. At the very least.
"From my experience, it's extremely dangerous to go into any game half-heartedly, because you often can't switch back on afterwards," Gislason had warned before the match, dismissing any talk of the possible quarterfinal opponent. His players took this approach to heart from the start.
DHB men's handball team maintained their form in the preliminary round, demonstrating their strength against Slovenia, a team also vying for first place. In the quarterfinals, they could face off against either France or Hungary, two formidable opponents within DHB men's circle.
