Too many errors - Tears and doubts: Handball players lose Olympic spot
Germany's Handball players gave the impression that their elimination from the Olympic Games was already a done deal. Co-Captains Alina Grijseels and Emily Bölk could barely hold back their tears after the opening loss against South Korea. Antje Döll, however, let her emotions run free. "I'm sorry," sobbed the left winger as she entered the interview zone after the 22:23 (10:11) defeat. She then searched for explanations for one of the poorest offensive performances by the DHB women that year.
"I don't know what was going on. We tore ourselves apart for five weeks. It's crap when you're not rewarded for it. We lost the game in the attack," analyzed Döll, who was the top scorer for the DHB with six goals. Meanwhile, her teammates looked dejected and hung their heads behind her. Each of them knew that a big step towards the quarterfinals had just been missed.
Heavy tasks ahead
On Sunday, the DHB women are underdogs in their match against Sweden. Other opponents in the preliminary round are the top Scandinavian teams from Denmark and Norway, as well as the supposedly weaker Slovenians. The best four teams from the six-team group qualify for the knockout phase. Fact is: The team led by Co-Captain Bölk, which had not appeared at the Olympics since 2008 in Beijing, is now under immense pressure.
For weeks, the DHB women had meticulously dealt with the topic of distraction. National coach Markus Gaugisch wanted to ensure that the focus remained on the sport despite all the exciting external impressions. Whatever measures the responsible parties took, they had no effect.
Clear error analysis and clear response
Gaugisch promised a "clear error analysis and a clear response." At the same time, the 50-year-old tried to boost the morale of his players: "The tournament is not over yet," said Gaugisch. Even Döll had regained her optimism a few minutes later. "Nothing has happened yet," said the 35-year-old despite the dwindling prospects of advancing.
The German team had a nervous start and allowed too many technical errors. The German defense was solid, but the attacking game lacked precision against the small and nimble South Korean players. Boëlk, Xenia Smits, and Co. hardly managed any simple throws. After a brief two-goal lead, the DHB team was suddenly 8:10 behind. Gaugisch looked helpless on the sidelines.
Döll's goal brings about the turnaround
The team's lack of focus could not be shaken off even after the break. Poor finishes made the good defensive work ineffective. 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 Döll finally brought her team back into the lead 21 minutes before the end (13:12), there was jubilation on the German bench. The South Korean defense code seemed to have been cracked, and the DHB team pulled ahead by four 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.
Following their disappointing opening loss, Germany's national Team Handball team, led by Co-Captains Alina Grijseels and Emily Bölk, faced intense pressure to perform against Sweden on Sunday. The weaker Slovenians and the top Scandinavian teams from Denmark and Norway also posed challenges in the preliminary round. Despite efforts to combat distractions, the team had struggled with focus, and their attack had been particularly poor against South Korea. National coach Markus Gaugisch promised a thorough error analysis and a clear response, while urging his players to remain optimistic. The team's defense had been solid, but their attacks had lacked precision, resulting in a 22:23 loss to South Korea. The turning point came when Antje Döll scored, briefly putting Germany in the lead. However, errors continued to plague the team, and they ultimately experienced deep disappointment. Despite the dwindling prospects of advancing, Döll remained optimistic, believing that "nothing has happened yet." The DHB women, known for their exceptional performances in previous Olympic Games held in historically France's Paris and Germany, would look to regain their form and redeem themselves in the remaining matches of the Olympic Games in Paris and potentially against opponents like South Korea and International teams.
