Good start to the European Championship qualification
DHB team wins against Ukraine after a long deficit
October 13, 2023, 8:03 a.m
The result seems clear, but for long stretches it is a close game between Germany’s handball players and the Ukraine team. The DHB team is now five goals behind, but is making a successful start to the European Championship qualification.
The start has been mastered, self-confidence boosted – and a sign of solidarity has been sent: the German handball players have made a successful start to the European Championship qualification. The team of national coach Markus Gaugisch won the first game on the way to the final round with 31:24 (15:14) against Ukraine despite a shaky start and thereby picked up momentum for the hot phase of the World Cup preparations.
With seven hits, Alina Grijseels was the best thrower of the German Handball Federation (DHB) selection, who took the first step towards the European Championship 2024 in Hungary, Austria and Switzerland (November 28th to December 15th) with her sixth success in a row. In addition, the first small casting took place before the World Cup, which will also include the Olympics for the DHB women in Herning, Denmark, from the end of November. “I’m optimistic that we can get even more quality out of it,” said captain Grijseels. However, due to the six-month break, the team didn’t have many sessions, “so every minute together is good for us.”
2,423 fans saw the game in Wetzlar, including up to 500 Ukrainian refugees who had received free tickets for the game from the association and the city. In addition to attractive handball, Gaugisch also wanted to offer these people “a nice evening with approachable athletes.”
Game in Israel is canceled
In the game, the team around veteran Xenia Smits, who played her 100th international match, initially revealed unusual weaknesses. Offensively inaccurate, defensively vulnerable – it took until the 23rd minute before the DHB team took the lead for the first time after a five-goal deficit (13:12). The German team, which was plagued by some personnel concerns, improved in the second half, but things remained close. The Ukrainians, also at the World Cup, kept up well.
Led by the strong Grijseels, the DHB women only extended their lead more clearly in the final phase. Gaugisch stated that the opponent made life difficult for the host with aggressive defense. “Plus seven after minus five is a good result,” he said.
The DHB team was originally supposed to play against Israel in Tel Aviv on Saturday, but the game was postponed indefinitely by the European association EHF due to the military escalation in the Middle East as a result of the attack by the radical Islamic Hamas. Instead, Gaugisch and his team will stay at the sports hotel in Großwallstadt to train until Saturday. The third German opponent in Group 2 is Slovakia. The two best teams will surely qualify for the finals next year in Hungary, Austria and Switzerland.
“All moments on the field are worth their weight in gold,” said national coach Gaugisch. Before the World Cup (November 29th to December 17th), which is also about the Olympics for the DHB team in Herning, Denmark, things are “now happening in quick succession”. The German handball players will contest the last World Cup test against Hungary on Handball Day on November 5th – without the players who are active abroad.