- The late showdown: Handball players in quarter-finals
The German handball team is back in medal-winning form at the Olympics and, thanks to goalkeeper David Späth, has already secured a place in the quarterfinals. Two days after the setback against Croatia, the team coached by Alfred Gislason celebrated its third win in four preliminary round games, beating Spain 33:31 (20:18), and can no longer be displaced from one of the top four spots.
In the final group game against Slovenia on Sunday, the DHB team will now aim for the best possible starting position for the knockout phase. The better the placement at the end of the preliminary round, the more likely it is to avoid a top team in the quarterfinals.
Against Spain, the German Olympic team found its way back to the strength that had characterized the dominant opening wins against Sweden and Japan. In front of around 5,700 spectators, Renars Uscins was the top scorer for the DHB team with eight goals against the two-time world champion Spain.
Andi Wolff has to leave early
How much did the setback against Croatia still affect the team? That was the big question before the match. Gislason had demanded a performance improvement in almost all areas. His players promised a more aggressive appearance and wanted to "not be nice anymore."
The plan initially worked, and the efficiency was almost 80 percent in the initial phase. The DHB team went into the two-on-two situations much more confidently and successfully disrupted the opponents' attacks. Only goalkeeper Andreas Wolff couldn't find his rhythm and was replaced early by his eleven years younger colleague David Späth. The 22-year-old immediately thrilled the German fans with three saves.
When Spain took the first timeout after more than 15 minutes, Germany was leading 10:7. The DHB team could have extended its lead but lacked precision against the experienced Europeans in some finishing situations. After the DHB team had to accept the equalizer, playmaker Juri Knorr increased his presence on the court and took on more responsibility. Just before the half-time buzzer, the team leader scored to make it 20:18.
Double disadvantage is punished
Simple turnovers at the start of the second half cost the lead within seconds. Julian Köster, still far from his top form at the Olympics, missed from a promising position. The "Germany, Germany" chants from the audience grew louder. On the court, an intense battle unfolded.
In double disadvantage, Germany fell behind after a long time (23:24). Spain's Aleix Gomez punished the DHB team's errors and shone in this phase. Späth prevented the Spaniards from pulling away with brilliant saves. Germany turned it around again and took the lead, which it maintained until the end.
Despite the setback against Croatia, the German handball team showed resilience and improved their performance against Spain, securing a crucial win and a top-four spot in the preliminary round. The replacement of goalkeeper Andreas Wolff with David Späth proved to be a strategic move, as Späth made several impressive saves to help Germany pull through.
