First narrow bankruptcy at World Cup
DHB team demands everything from top nation Norway
01/23/2023 10:04 p.m
The German national handball team suffered their first defeat at the World Cup. Ultimately, the top team Norway is a bit too strong, but they have to show everything against Germany. Now record world champions France are waiting in the quarter-finals.
Alfred Gislason buried his hands in his pockets and shook his head after the first World Cup setback and the missed group win. “It’s really a shame. We could have taken it home with a better shooting rate,” said the national coach after the 26:28 (16:18) against tournament favorites Norway.
When the initial frustration had gone, Gislason straightened his handball players up again. The quarter-final smash against Olympic champions France is already on Wednesday evening: “The team has a great personality,” said Gislason, who admitted, however, “I would have preferred to play against Spain.”
The best German thrower against Norway in front of around 4,500 spectators was once again Juri Knorr with eight goals. But overall, the selection of the German Handball Federation (DHB) lacked efficiency and assertiveness in the sixth World Cup game, and the defense didn’t seem as solid as it was last. Germany took the lead for the first time in the 52nd minute (25:24), but couldn’t hold it. “Of course this defeat hurts. It annoys us all,” said Knorr: “Now we want to show that we have character. We’ll get back up.”
Now against record world champion
On Tuesday morning the German team will pack up their tents in Katowice and fly from Kraków to Gdansk. There it is on Wednesday evening against the French record world champion to reach the semi-finals – and not as hoped against Spain. “By tomorrow at the latest we will raise our heads again on the plane,” said Philipp Weber.
Although the Norwegians had also qualified early for the knockout stages, Gislason wanted nothing to do with a test match character on Monday evening. Norway is the favourite, said the 63-year-old before the game, but “I definitely want to win. Because the best preparation for the quarter-finals is success.”
The initial phase, however, belonged to the Scandinavians. Especially with superstar Sander Sagosen from THW Kiel, one of eight Bundesliga legionnaires with the Norwegians, the German coverage had its problems. It was 1: 4 after four and 4: 7 after eight minutes – also because Joel Birlehm, who was initially allowed to play for regular keeper Andreas Wolff, couldn’t get hold of the ball.
Wolff and Knorr spectacular
Gislason reacted and brought Wolff. He saved two balls in front of the eyes of football world champion Lukas Podolski, and so Patrick Groetzki was able to reduce the deficit to 6:7 (10th) with his 400th international goal. Norway stayed on the trigger, but Germany really bit into the game. Wolff made spectacular saves at the back, while Knorr took control of the game up front.
The playmaker shone with his seamless shots from the second row, his no-frills shots and his enormous game vision. Of the first twelve DHB goals, Knorr was directly involved in nine (!): The 22-year-old prepared two goals and he sunk all of his seven throws.
And yet the German team went into the dressing room with a deficit for the first time at the World Cup. “It’s a game with a huge tempo and huge commitment on both sides,” said DHB sports director Axel Kromer at the break: “We could have finished even more effectively.”
However, the weak litter yield initially remained the big problem. Wolff continued to shine, but captain Johannes Golla and Co. missed the best chances up front. Luca Witzke saw the red card for gross foul play (54th).