Victory against Austria
German handball players qualify prematurely for the EM
Updated on March 15th, 2025 – 6:07 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
It can also be done without Juri Knorr and Renārs Uščins: Germany’s handball players defeat Austria and can plan for the European Championship.
The German handball players have made a lot of reparation and secured the early ticket for the European Championship 2026 with a convincing victory against Austria. Two days after the disappointing draw in Vienna, the team of national coach Alfreð Gíslason in Hanover won 31:26 (16:14). In front of over 10,000 spectators, Marko Grgić with seven goals was the best German thrower.
Since May 2015, the DHB selection in EM qualification games has been unbeaten. At the end of the qualification, the Gislason team will have to get against Switzerland and Turkey in around two months. The European Championship will take place in Denmark, Sweden and Norway from January 15 to February 1, 2026. The German selection plays its games in Herning.
The argue personnel problems in the German ranks had only slightly improved since the first duel on Thursday. Renārs Uščins, Justus Fischer and Jannik Kohlbacher were still not operational. Playmaker Juri Knorr was again only in the audience role.
Austria wanted to confirm that it has successfully developed into an equal DHB controller from a former assembly opponent. At the beginning, the plan opened against nervous hosts. Germany only took the lead for the first time in the 14th minute (6: 5).
Compared to the first duel, the German team defended more aggressive. Captain Johannes Golla & Co. were better set in particular on circular colossus Tobias Wagner. In the attack, the hosts around Julian Köster and Grgić used their chances freezing cold-even outnumbered the DHB team came to go and expanded his lead to three goals (10: 7).
Immediately after the break, the DHB team played into a frenzy and pulled away to 19:14. Germany benefited from numerous false passes from the Austrians. Köster, substitute goalkeeper David Späth and newcomer Miro Schluroff each hit his own ÖHB goal from his own half. “We are more agile attacks,” said sports director Ingo Meckes at halftime.
Germany now dominated the game at will and Späth had a significant part in the goal that the lead over seven goals (24:17) grew. In the usual manner, the U21 world champion celebrated his parades and put the audience in ecstasy in the sold-out Hanoverian arena.
As in Vienna, there are again lack of concentration in the final quarter of an hour. “Damn again, too many balls too simply gone,” Gíslason scolded the hasty and risky degrees. However, the lead was too big this time to seriously tremble the DHB team.