- Group victory: Handball players travel confidently to Lille
The German handball team has secured a comfortable victory as group winners, qualifying for the Olympic quarterfinals and maintaining their medal-winning form in the final preliminary round match. The team coached by Alfred Gislason celebrated a 36:29 win against Slovenia, their fourth victory in five games, boosting their confidence for the knockout phase in Lille. Against the co-leading Slovenians, veteran Kai Häfner was the top scorer with seven goals.
On Monday, the German Olympic team will travel to Lille, where the women's team will aim for a surprise against France on Tuesday. The men's team may also face the disappointing hosts, who will then compete against Hungary for the last quarterfinal spot in Group B. The knockout games will be held at the OSC Lille football stadium, with a capacity of up to 27,000 spectators.
The German men's team had already secured their place in the quarterfinals with a thrilling win against Spain in their fourth game. However, coach Gislason warned against underestimating the match against Slovenia, stating that it can be difficult to switch back to full intensity afterwards.
Wolff saves and complains
Against Slovenia, the team struggled initially, with Juri Knorr's passes being slightly off. The opponents capitalized on simple turnovers and gaps in the German defense to score many goals. Goalkeeper Andreas Wolff was dissatisfied with his teammates' performance and voiced his displeasure after almost every goal against. His mood improved as Germany went on a 7:0 run, thanks in part to Wolff's saves.
Suddenly, the Slovenians began to make mistakes, and the Gislason team took full advantage, securing their victory. Häfner, who will retire from the national team after these games, played exceptionally well in front of the opponent's goal. Julian Köster (4 goals) and Sebastian Heymann (6) also delivered their best performances of the tournament.
Gislason rotated his players frequently for load management purposes. Substitute goalkeeper David Späth had an impressive performance after the break, delighting the traveling German fans with several spectacular saves. Left wing Rune Dahmke and recovering center back Jannik Kohlbacher also saw some playing time. Young star Marko Grgic was reliable from the penalty spot.
Despite some rushed play towards the end, Germany managed to maintain their lead. The experienced yet relatively inexperienced German team has been impressive so far in these Olympic Games. In their current form, anything is possible for the DHB team.
After the win against Slovenia, the German women's handball team is eagerly awaited in Lille for their match against France. Despite the men's team securing their spot in the quarterfinals, there's no room for complacency, as women's handball is also a strong presence in German sports.
