The best throwers of the German team, who defended themselves with all their might, were left winger Patrick Zieker and pivot Johannes Golla, each with four goals. Nevertheless, without eleven players who tested positive, it was not enough to cause a sensation against the ripped-off European champion.
Germany’s corona-plagued handball players have now also suffered their first sporting setback at the European Championship. Against defending champion Spain, the badly decimated DHB selection was shown its limits in the first main round game on Thursday and lost 23:29 (12:14).
The team of national coach Alfred Gislason does not have much time to quarrel: In order not to completely lose sight of the dream of the European Championship semi-finals, the first main round victory here.
The day had started so well from a German point of view. Unlike in the past few days, no other national player had tested positive. The DHB selection was able to compete against the Spaniards with 16 players, this time there were even two goalkeepers in the squad.
But it wasn’t entirely without curiosities: Christoph Steinert, who only tested positive on Wednesday, suddenly had only negative tests in the hours before kick-off – so that the 32-year-old was surprisingly in the German squad. Steinert even walked from the team hotel to the hall to be there.
Good defense
However, others initially played the focus of this classic. The longer the game against the ripped-off Spaniards, the stronger the German defense around Patrick Wiencek, Simon Ernst and captain Johannes Golla. And what the inner block couldn’t fend off, the again strong goalkeeper oldie Johannes Bitter parried. At least a few times.
Because although the DHB selection acted wide awake from the start, the Spaniards also came to their gates. At first it was an extremely close game against the strongest German opponent so far in this tournament. But as the evening progressed, the German team lost more and more.
The Spaniards mercilessly exploited this period of weakness. As the first team ever, they could win the European title for the third time in a row this year. Your greatest strength: You don’t let anything shake you. Not even from a DHB team that was thrown together and started with nine nominated players.
Eleven players who tested positive, such as Timo Kastening or keeper Andreas Wolff, sat isolated in their hotel rooms in front of the television. Assistant coach Erik Wudtke was also missing for a short time in the game against the Spaniards because the latest corona tests had given an “unclear picture”, as the DHB announced.
In order to avoid further infections, the German substitutes even sat on the bench with masks – it remains a bizarre EM for this team. But despite all the adversities, the team gave their all.
However, something crucial was missing in the first few minutes before and after the break: precision in attack. Again and again Gislason’s team created the best chances – but again and again it failed due to the sometimes outstanding Spanish goalkeeper Gonzalo Perez de Vargas. On the other side, the experienced defending champion used almost every chance and thus pulled further and further away. It should get better against Norway.
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