Croatia fears unexpectedly: DHB team wins in the first game after the end

Saturday, January 23, 2021

Croatia worries unexpectedly
DHB team wins in the first game after the end

For the German handball players, the World Cup is no longer about anything. With this message right before kick-off, the team goes into the game against Brazil – and is harmless.

With no chance of the quarter-finals, the German handball players showed their morale at the World Cup in Egypt. Although the World Cup had already been decided, the DHB selection prevailed in the second main round match in Cairo with 31:24 (16:12) against Brazil. With this, the team of national coach Alfred Gislason moved up to third place in their main group. The mini-chance of one of the first two ranks and reaching the knockout round had previously destroyed Hungary with a 30:26 (16:10) win against Poland.

Germany determined the game from the start. After a successful start and a 7-2 lead, some mistakes crept in. The DHB team never got embarrassed. Goalkeeper oldie Johannes Bitter, who was a strong support with numerous parades, played a major role in this. The 38-year-old parried 39 percent of the throws in the first half and stood out more often after the change. Regular goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, on the other hand, only sat in the stands after his previously mixed performances, from where he cheered on his teammates. He was replaced by Silvio Heinevetter, who was used for a few minutes in the final phase.

Things went a lot better in the attack. Julius Kühn (5), Philipp Weber (5) and Kai Häfner (4) in particular caused danger from the back area. Captain Uwe Gensheimer, who was pale in the course of the tournament so far, also knew how to please and put his four attempts in goal without exception. But the most powerful offensive weapon was Golla. The 23-year-old from the German runner-up SG Flensburg-Handewitt also had a one hundred percent hit rate. So the DHB selection brought the ultimately meaningless victory over time.

In the final main round game on Monday (8.30 p.m.) against Poland, the DHB selection now wants to secure third place. Shortly afterwards the team will fly back to Germany.

Croatia needs new coach

Meanwhile, co-favorites Croatia have to worry about making it to the quarter-finals – and look for a new coach after the tournament. After the surprising 19:23 (12:12) bankruptcy against Argentina, national coach Lino Cervar surprisingly announced his resignation at the end of the World Cup in a live interview on Czech television. "It's a disappointment. I take responsibility, no matter what," said the 70-year-old Cervar after the bitter defeat. "A coach whose team is playing a playoff the way they did today shouldn't coach that team."

With a win, Croatia, which is only third (5: 3 points) behind the South Americans after the bankruptcy, would have been sure to advance. In the last main round match, the European Championship runner-up around captain Domagoj Duvnjak will now be leaders Denmark (8: 0) on Monday. The defending champion prevailed against Japan with ex-national coach Dagur Sigurdsson with 34:27 (19:17) and thus made the early quarter-finals perfect.