"Killer mentality" spurs DHB team on at the World Cup
The first medal since 2007 - the German handball players are dreaming of great success. But first they have to overcome the World Cup quarter-final against Sweden. With a player who has been ennobled with the "world-class award" and a team that impresses the coach with its "killer mentality".
Semi-final! The word alone electrifies the German handball players ahead of the World Cup showdown against Sweden. "It's cool to have a knockout game now. A final," says Antje Döll with shining eyes. After three seventh places at major tournaments, the DHB left wing and her teammates want to take the next step - and finally play for a medal again 16 years after World Championship bronze.
"We'll see how our development has progressed," said Döll ahead of the quarter-finals (17:30/Sportdeutschland.TV): "Reaching the semi-finals is a dream, that would be a real success for us." The last time a German women's team reached the last four was at the 2008 European Championship.
Hopes are pinned on powerful backcourt player Xenia Smits in the match against Sweden, who finished fifth at the 2022 European Championships. "She's an absolute leader, stands up to her opponents and doesn't shy away from anything," praised national coach Markus Gaugisch. "She has played an outstanding World Cup so far, both emotionally and as a player, both offensively and defensively," continued Gaugisch. "She has a very high level of efficiency in her actions, a low error rate and well-chosen finishes."
Sweden have an unblemished World Cup record
The 29-year-old Smits is playing one of the best tournaments of her career so far. No German player has contributed as many assists at the season highlight in Sweden, Norway and Denmark as the Belgian-born player. Nobody in the DHB squad has stolen the ball from their opponents as often as the SG BBM Bietigheim player. DHB sports director Axel Kromer awarded Smits the "world class" title after the narrow defeat against Denmark.
In any case, the team is more confident than it has been for a long time. Gaugisch spoke of a "killer mentality". Another top performance is likely to be required against Sweden, and a duel at eye level is expected. Both teams know each other almost inside out. Immediately before the World Cup, national coach Markus Gaugisch's team won and lost two test matches against the Scandinavians. "The games showed that Sweden have a lot of quality in defense," Gaugisch warned of their opponents' strengths. It was also important to stop Sweden's fast-paced play with first and second waves as best as possible. With six wins from six games, Sweden have an unblemished World Cup record so far.
"Sweden may be slightly favored because they won the group," said backcourt player Viola Leuchter: "But we don't need to hide." The German team has gained an enormous amount of self-confidence from five wins and the narrow defeat against title contenders Denmark (28:30). According to Leuchter, reaching the semi-finals is "very realistic and that's pretty cool".
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With their current form and the "killer mentality" within the team, the German handball players aim to make history at the Handball World Cup, hoping to reach the semi-finals and potentially win the handball world cup trophy, just like their national handball team did back in 2007.
The DHB team's exceptional performance at the World Cup so far has been propelled by the stellar play of Xenia Smits, who has been recognized for her outstanding World Cup display by earning the "world-class award" from DHB sports director Axel Kromer.
Source: www.ntv.de
