DHB-Team beats Olympia-Favoriten France
The German Handball National Team celebrates a victory against a major opponent just before the Olympic Games' kickoff: The German team beats European Champions France. Bundestrainer Alfred Gislason makes several changes, but the DHB team puts on a stable performance.
Germany's handballers opened the final phase of the Olympic preparation with a spectacular show. The team of Bundestrainer Alfred Gislason played aggressively against European Champions France and gained confidence for the medal mission in Paris. Even French icon Nikola Karabatic could not prevent the loss of the Olympic host on his last appearance on German soil.
Tim Hornke and Franz Semper (each 5 goals) were the best scorers for the extremely disciplined German Handball Federation (DHB) team on Saturday in front of 10,105 spectators at the Dortmund Westfalenhalle. Gislason's team presented itself two weeks before the Olympic start against Sweden highly motivated. Not only did Andreas Wolff and David Spaeth outshine in goal, but the offense also worked well together. Additionally, Marko Grgic, with four goals, put on a strong home debut.
Standing Ovations for Karabatic
Germany's women's team, who are making their Olympic comeback after 16 years, could not get into the swing of things beforehand. The team of Bundestrainer Markus Gaugisch lost to Pan American Champions Brazil due to a particularly weak defensive performance 31:36 (17:20). Playmaker Alina Grijseels was the best German scorer (7 goals).
Before the men's game, the stage was once again dedicated to Karabatic: The most successful handballer in history, who will end his brilliant career after the Olympic "home game" in Paris, waved to the audience as they gave him a standing ovation. The video screen in the Westfalenhalle read: "Au Revoir, Nikola!"
Karabatic joined in from the start and scored in the scoring list right away. The German team, which stood firmly in defense and offensively offered some variations, had the better start. Wolff, who will return to THW Kiel for the upcoming season, impressed the audience with strong saves several times.
Youngster revives
Germany displayed the tactic on the scoreboard, with Jannik Kohlbacher scoring the first goal at 11:6 (13.), increasing the lead to five goals for the first time. Gislason clapped enthusiastically on the side and brought in Grgic in the first segment. The youngster, the surprise in Gislason's Olympic squad, was a revitalizing element - just before half-time, the 20-year-old scored his first national team goal from the seven-meter line, making it 18:14 (28.).
The French team, who suffered more technical errors without their injured star Dika Mem, stepped up their game after the break. The match became more competitive and significantly closer. Shooting star Spaeth, who replaced Wolff in the second segment, entertained the crowd with some saves. And not least, Grgic contributed with another goal to help Germany build a three-goal lead before the crunch time.
The German Handball National Team's impressive victory against France boosts their confidence for their medal mission at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris. In the lead-up to the Olympics, Gislason's team showcased a strong performance against Sweden, with Grgic, Wolff, and Spaeth standout players.
During the pre-match ceremony at the Westfalenhalle, a standing ovation was given to Nikola Karabatic, the most successful handballer in history, as he prepares for his final Olympic appearance with the French team.
