Dominating Olympia-Performance - Quarterfinals very close: Handballers stay in medal form
Germany's handball players fulfilled their duty at the Olympics with brilliance against overwhelmed Japanese opponents, taking a giant step towards the quarterfinals. Two days after the surprising victory against the EM third-place team Sweden, the German squad confirmed their medal potential with a convincing 37:26 (21:10) win against the Asians.
The DHB team had already convincingly beaten Japan in a test match eight days prior. In front of around 5,700 spectators in Paris, Renars Uscins, the German team's pivot player, scored seven goals.
The team around playmaker Juri Knorr has not yet secured their ticket for the knockout phase but can do so prematurely with another win against Croatia on Wednesday. However, the German squad had lost to the team coached by former national team coach Dagur Sigurdsson both at home during the EM in January and in the Olympic qualification in March. Other opponents in the group stage are Spain and Slovenia. The top four teams from the two six-team groups qualify for the quarterfinals.
The coffee is working
Before it was 9:00 AM on the court, Germany's handball players had already passed their first test. The 5:00 AM wake-up call, however, was not easy for all players. To be fit and wide awake at the start, Uscins and his self-proclaimed morning grumps practiced the unusual routine in preparation several times. The coffee promised by the young star, "at 5:30 AM and 6:30 AM," lived up to its promise.
The 22-year-old pivot player Uscins started fiercely and contributed to four of the first six German goals. The dominant opening win against medal contender Sweden seemed to have given the entire DHB team confidence. Even playmaker Knorr, who often feels external and self-imposed pressure at major events, played freely and shone with his carefree throws from the backcourt. He ended up with six goals.
Japan's coach took an early timeout after barely four minutes, but the German team continued to dominate the overmatched Japanese players. The German squad quickly led 9-7, with an efficiency rate of over 90%. In goal was once again Andreas Wolff. Gislason watched the action from the sidelines, unusually relaxed.
Everyone can have a turn
Since the victory was already a foregone conclusion at halftime, Gislason was able to rotate heavily. David Spaeth came in for goalkeeping duties, and Rune Dahmke, who was nominated as a replacement for the injured Tim Hornke, collected his first Olympic minutes. Regardless of which seven players were on the court, the DHB express continued to roll effortlessly towards victory.
- The German Handball team, including star player Renars Uscins, will aim to secure their knockout phase ticket against Croatia on Wednesday.
- Alfred Gislason, the coach, watched the Olympic match against Japan from the sidelines, appearing unusually relaxed.
- Prior to the Olympic Games, Germany's national team had already shown their dominance, beating Japan in a test match eight days earlier.
- Uscins, along with his teammates, had undergone an unusual early-morning routine to prepare for the games, aided by coffee from a young star.
- Croatia's team, coached by Dagur Sigurdsson, had previously defeated the German Handball team during the European Championship and Olympic qualifications.
- Germany's Handball team, including playmaker Juri Knorr, demonstrated their medal potential by crushing Japan in the Olympic Games with a score of 37:26.
- The International Handball Federation groups the teams into two six-team pools, with the top four from each advancing to the quarterfinals.
- Other opponents in Germany's group stage are medal contenders Spain and Slovenia, adding more challenges to the DHB team's road to the Olympic Games quarterfinals.
