Mith a goal gala against Brazil, Germany’s handball players successfully passed the first Olympic test and when the fans returned, they fueled a lot of energy for Tokyo. At the start of the three-country tournament in Nuremberg, the DHB selection won the duel with the Olympic preliminary round opponent in front of 668 spectators on Friday evening with 36:26 (17:13) and set a clear example two weeks before the start of the summer games.
“I think it was a good game. I am very happy with some things. Above all, the defense was very good in the first 20 minutes, ”said national coach Alfred Gislason. However, he did not want to be too euphoric about looking ahead: “There are still a few things that we still have to fine-tune. There was still a lot that we had to do better. “
Although Gislason used the game for extensive testing, the fifth in the European Championship clearly dominated the event and gained self-confidence for the medal mission in Japan. The best German throwers were right winger Timo Kastening with seven goals and left winger Marcel Schiller (six). On Sunday the Olympic dress rehearsal against Egypt will take place at the same place. “It was a lot of fun to play in front of spectators again,” said Paul Drux from the Füchsen Berlin at Sport1. “We score 36 goals against such an offensive and difficult to play defense, so we can be satisfied.”
Drux puts pressure on the back room
“We had refreshing phases with a lot of speed and courage,” praised DHB sports director Axel Kromer at halftime. “It was clear to us beforehand that we weren’t playing consistently enough to rip something like this through from minute 1 to minute 60. That’s why I think we’re on the right track. “
At their first appearance in front of an audience since January 2020, the German team was greeted with applause as soon as they arrived and thanked them with a large banner with the inscription “We carried by you” for the long-missing support from the stands. After a balanced start phase, it quickly gave the DHB team the kick they had hoped for. At 4: 3 (7th minute), the Olympic third from 2016 took the lead for the first time, which was expanded to four goals in the middle of the first half (9: 5).
Not everything went smoothly yet, but the German team was already quite stable, especially in defense. On the offensive, the absence of playmaker Philipp Weber, who was spared because of a hardened muscle in the calf, was well compensated for. Juri Knorr was not able to fill the role yet, but Drux ensured pressure from the backcourt again and again in his 100th international match.
In Herzogenaurach, DHB trainer Alfred Gislason prepares his team for the games in Tokyo.
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Image: dpa
Towards the end of the first half, however, the German team made some mistakes, so that the South Americans came up again. Two minutes before the break, the DHB selection was only marginally ahead at 14:13, but then stepped up again and went into the cabin with a four-goal cushion.
With the restart, Gislason cheerfully changed, which did not detract from the joy of his protégés. On the contrary: With a lightning start, the cushion was even doubled to eight goals (23: 15/37.) And further expanded in the final phase.
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