Thursday, December 02, 2021
Czech Republic has no chance
DHB women start with a runaway victory in the World Cup
Germany’s handball women see themselves as “surprise eggs” at the World Cup and want to achieve a lot. At the start there is an easy win over Czech women who have had no chances for a long time. In between, the effectiveness of the attack is lost, but in the end it becomes clear again.
Aggressive defense, cool attack: Germany’s handball women have made a turbo start into the world championship. After a strong performance, the DHB selection won their first round game in front of around 500 spectators in Llíria, Spain, against the Czech Republic with 31:21. (17:10) and made a big step towards the main round. The best throwers in the team of national coach Henk Groener were Alina Grijseels and Julia Maidhof, each with four goals. Further opponents of the German team in group E are Slovakia on Saturday and Hungary on Monday. The top three advance.
“Due to the new composition of the team, I see ourselves a bit as the surprise egg this year,” said captain Emily Bölk in an interview with the “Tagesspiegel”. Neither the national coach nor his players named a specific goal in advance. But the German women are secretly hoping for a surprise. After all, the last medal was won 14 years ago. In 2007 there was a bronze medal at the World Cup.
“First game always the most important”
“We want to get as far as possible,” said Groener succinctly. To do this, his team has to be wide awake at the start. “The first game is always the most important. Of course a World Cup is a marathon, but we have to be there right from the start.” The first appearance should now give the team security.
After a balanced start, the German team quickly got the game under control and scored three goals for the first time at 7: 4 (13th). The basis for this was an aggressive defense with a good-natured goalkeeper Dinah Eckerle behind them. A lot of pressure was exerted from the backcourt on the offensive and primarily the end of the circle was sought. That turned out to be very efficient. The reward for the good performance was a six-goal lead at 12: 6 (23rd), which has meanwhile even been expanded to eight goals (16: 8).
Groener watched his protégés appear on the sidelines with a satisfied expression. In the closing stages of the first half, the 61-year-old Dutchman even had the luxury of giving the back trio with Emily Bölk, Alina Grijseels and Julia Maidhof a break at the same time. After the break, the national coach continued to change. Katharina Filter moved into the gate, who, like Eckerle before, shone with a few parades.
There was no break in attack either, although the first formation was now completely on the bench. On the contrary: at 23:12 (39th) the lead was even eleven goals. In anticipation of a certain victory, the DHB team then made a few weaknesses, so that the Czechs reduced the gap to seven goals at 25:18. Groener responded immediately with a break in which he shook his charges awake. In the final phase, the German team didn’t let anything burn.