European Handball Championships: Chancellor Scholz celebrates: Handball gamers are in the primary spherical | EUROtoday

Germany’s handball gamers took their lap of honor to the celebration basic “Celebration” after their second convincing European Championship victory. Then the La Ola wave swept via the sold-out Berlin cauldron.

The DHB choice additional fueled the EM euphoria in their very own nation and made the early entry into the primary spherical excellent. National coach Alfred Gislason’s workforce celebrated 34:25 (18:13) towards outsiders in Berlin North Macedonia the second assured preliminary spherical victory and additional fueled hopes of a profitable medal mission.

“It’s loopy what handball Germany is doing right here. This is phenomenal and contagious. We wish to win each recreation,” said Jannik Kohlbacher on ZDF and Nils Lichtlein added: “That’s what you dream about. I hope it continues like this. We’re a cool group.”

In entrance of the Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), who acquired whistles from lots of the 13,571 spectators throughout his introduction, playmaker Juri Knorr was the perfect thrower for the DHB choice with ten targets. Knorr was additionally named greatest participant of the sport. National coach Gislason was happy after the sport: “We have become more stable. We have to maintain that.” He notably preferred the second half.

At the top of the preliminary spherical, Germany will face document world champions France on Tuesday. A draw is sufficient to win the group. The Olympic champion had beforehand made a mistake in his second preliminary spherical recreation and needed to accept a 26:26 draw towards Switzerland. «We wish to play our recreation. Even if we lead the desk, the French are the clear favorites,” mentioned Gislason. Then the DHB workforce, which desires of reaching the semi-finals, continues in Cologne.

Papa Häfner is lacking

“It feels like it’s starting again,” DHB sports activities director Axel Kromer mentioned earlier than kick-off, referring to the unusually lengthy four-day break because the opening win towards Switzerland. The nationwide coach, however, warned of the “unbridled will and emotionality” of the opponent from the Balkans. The concern was unfounded.

Without Kai Häfner, who had simply turn into a father for the second time and who was changed by U21 world champion Nils Lichtlein within the squad, the DHB workforce took on the struggle brilliantly from the primary second. The protection with the inside block duo Johannes Golla and Julian Köster was secure and hardly opened any gaps for North Macedonia. At the identical time, Germany efficiently exploited its fast-paced counter-attacks by way of left winger Lukas Mertens and rapidly led 5-2.

Kromer praises the tempo recreation

Gislason had ready his workforce excellently for the opponents’ subtleties. In protection, the Balkan workforce operated with totally different methods; in offense, the outsiders typically relied on the extra seventh man. Coach Kiril Lazarov was the workforce’s star on the sidelines. The former handball skilled is the perfect thrower in World Cup historical past and was the primary participant with over 1,000 European Cup targets. But even he could not forestall the numerous technical errors his males made.

And though Julian Köster initially missed just a few promising possibilities to attain, the German workforce turned increasingly intoxicated. In the meantime the lead was seven targets at 16:9. “We played a great tempo game,” praised Kromer at half-time and, with a view to the aggressiveness, mentioned: “There’s certainly a bit more that can be done in defense.”

Gislason rages on the sidelines

The DHB choice began with a 3-0 run after the break. Goalkeeper David Späth, who changed the hapless Andreas Wolff between the posts after 22 minutes, shone with a number of saves and actually heated up the sold-out Mercedes-Benz Arena. A couple of careless errors in assault did not change that.

Gislason reacted with a timeout, raged and demanded extra self-discipline when the rating was 22:17. The Icelander’s speech had an impact and the DHB workforce prolonged its result in seven targets once more. Gislason now switched round and gave EM newcomer Martin Hanne and U21 world champion Justus Fischer minutes. Victory was not in peril. The German EM competition weeks proceed.

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