Victorious handball players worried
Groetzki shock mars success at European Championship dress rehearsal
January 6, 2024, 9:25 p.m
The most experienced handball player in the German European Championship squad is in danger of failing. Patrick Groetzki limps off the field in pain during the last test before the home tournament. The game itself convinced national coach Alfred Gíslason – with small drawbacks.
Germany’s handball players have passed their last European Championship endurance test. The team of national coach Alfred Gíslason defeated Portugal at their tournament dress rehearsal in Kiel with 35:31 (20:15) and is starting the European Championship, which begins on Wednesday in Düsseldorf, with a fresh tailwind. “I’m in a very positive mood after the game,” said Gislason on the ARD microphone, but complained that the game was once again “unnecessarily” close due to “too many technical errors”. Left-hander Kai Häfner said: “We won both games. That gives you confidence.”
Playmaker Juri Knorr became the top scorer in the lively German team with six goals. In addition, goalkeeper Andreas Wolff showed himself in European Championship form with a number of spectacular saves in front of 9,113 spectators. After a temporary seven-goal lead was reduced to one goal in the second half, the supposed regular seven had to do something about it in the final phase.
However, the DHB selection has to worry about Patrick Groetzki. The left-hander, who has just recovered from a foot injury, limped off the field in the first half and is in doubt for the upcoming tournament. With 172 international matches, the 34-year-old Groetzki is the most experienced player in the 18-man German squad and is expected to form the team at right wing alongside Timo Kastening at the European Championships. “It didn’t feel good,” Groetzki told “Mannheimer Morgen” before he left the hall for further examinations. According to Gislason, Groetzki “felt a stinging sensation under the sole of his foot. We don’t know exactly what it is. We hope for the best.”
The DHB men, who had already won the first test against the Portuguese with 34:33, will compete next Wednesday (8.45 p.m./ZDF and in the live ticker at ntv.de) their European Championship opening game against Switzerland in front of more than 50,000 spectators in the Düsseldorf football arena. Other opponents in preliminary group A are North Macedonia (January 14th/8.30 p.m./ZDF) as well as record world champion France (January 16th/8.30 p.m./ARD). The top two finishers advance to the main round.
U21 world champions are allowed to play after halftime
“I’m hoping for a really good game from us,” said Gislason before the game. This hope was only partially confirmed in the first section. Knorr and Co. exuded plenty of wit on offense, showed quick ball relays, variability and spectacular finishes. But once again there was a problem on the defensive. The Portuguese repeatedly managed to pull the German defense center apart with long cross movements. And so after 21 minutes the score was 12:12.
A little later the arena fell completely silent for a short time. When Groetzki twisted his ankle without any influence from his opponent and then hobbled off the field supported by his teammates, it wasn’t just Gislason who held his breath. “Oh, shit,” commented TV expert Johannes Bitter. However, the German team didn’t let the moment of shock throw them off course – on the contrary. Because Wolff now made a few saves in goal and the now more offensive covering formation was able to win the ball, the DHB selection pulled away until the break. When the ex-Kieler Wolff scored across the field shortly before half-time to make it 18:14, a hurricane of cheers swept through the packed hall.
In the second round, Gislason made a lot of changes – which initially didn’t affect the mood in the stands or the performance. While Knorr, Wolff and captain Johannes Golla were rested, backcourt player Sebastian Heymann and the U21 world champions Nils Lichtlein, Justus Fischer and David Späth now appeared.
Nevertheless, the game became close again because Germany went a long time without scoring their own goal. Golla ended a ten-minute goal drought at 30:28. At this point in the game, Gislason went back to his regular formation with Wolff between the posts, Knorr in the middle and Golla in the circle. Veteran Kai Häfner also played a key role with a few goals in crunch time.