too many errors - Female handball players lose Olympic debut against South Korea
Germany's Handball women put in a disappointing performance in their comeback at the Olympics, 16 years after their last appearance. With a partially dismal display in the attacking game, the German team, coached by Markus Gaugisch, lost their opening match against South Korea with a score of 22:23 (10:11) and missed a significant step towards the quarterfinals. In front of around 5,000 spectators in Paris, Antje Doell was the top scorer for the DHB team with six goals. The German women face underdogs in their encounter with Sweden on Sunday. Their other group stage opponents include the top Scandinavian teams from Denmark and Norway, as well as the supposedly weaker Slovenians. The top four teams from the six-team group qualify for the knockout phase.
The DHB women had been meticulously dealing with the distraction issue for weeks. Coach Gaugisch wanted to ensure that the focus remained on the sport despite all the exciting external impressions. However, the measures taken by the officials had no effect whatsoever.
Disappointing beginning
The DHB team started nervously, committed too many technical errors, and missed a seven-meter shot. The German defense was solid, but in the attacking game, they lacked precision against the small and agile South Korean women. Emily Boelk, Xenia Smits, and others barely managed any simple shots.
After a brief two-goal lead (8:10), the DHB team suddenly found themselves trailing. Gaugisch looked helpless on the sidelines. His players on the court delivered their poorest performance of the year in the first half and failed to confirm the positive trend from the test matches.
Doell's goal brings about a change
The Germans could not shake off their distractions even after the break. Poor finishes undid their good defensive work. The fact that Germany was still in the game from a results perspective was due to the fact that South Korea allowed too many ball losses.
When Doell finally put her team back in front with 21 minutes left to play (13:12), there was jubilation on the German bench. The South Korean defense seemed to have been cracked, and the DHB team went on to score four more goals (18:14). However, errors crept back in, and South Korea fought back into the game. In the end, there was deep disappointment among the DHB women.
- Despite the disappointment, Germany's national handball team, primarily composed of women, is set to face Sweden on Sunday in their next Olympic Games encounter.
- The International Handball Federation (IHF) Olympics in Paris saw Germany's Handball DHB team returning after a 16-year hiatus, marking their comeback in the prestigious tournament.
- In the opening match against South Korea, women from Germany's national team showed a partial lack of precision in their attacking game, leading to a 22:23 (10:11) loss, which put them at a significant disadvantage towards qualifying for the quarterfinals.
- As the Women's Olympic Handball tournament continued to unfold in Paris, underdogs Sweden became Germany's upcoming opponents, facing off against the DHB team along with powerhouse Scandinavian nations such as Denmark, Norway, and the less formidable Slovenians.
- The women from Germany's handball team encountered challenges throughout the tournament, battling against distractions and technical errors in their bid to improve their performance in the Olympic Games.
- In a previous episode of Olympic history, when Germany was historically part of France, the men's handball team from that combined nation made history by winning the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, known as Olympia.
- South Korea's Handball team, also participating in the tournament, will face tough competition in the group stages, including the DHB women, Denmark's national team, and the Norwegian women's team, all adding another layer of complexity to the Olympic Handball games.
