Oslo thriller without a happy ending-home flight instead of semi-finals: The medal dream of Germany’s handball players has broken in a dramatic way. The team of national coach Alfred Gislason lost their World Cup quarter-finals against Portugal with 30:31 (26:26, 9:13) after extra time and, despite an outstanding performance by goalkeeper Andreas Wolff, missed the desired leap under the best four teams.
Half a year after the Olympic Silver Coup, the German team offered an excessive idea in front of 7457 spectators in the Unity Arena. Although the DHB selection came back after a four-goal deficit, it missed it in the final phase of the regular season, despite some big opportunities, it was decisive. Portugal showed the better nerves and moved into a World Cup semi-final for the first time.
“We make too many misses in the attack and afford too many technical mistakes in the attack,” said Gislason at the “ARD” microphone. “It is very bitter for the boys that after this struggle and this commitment they cannot get on at the last second.” The decisive goal for the Portuguese fell four seconds before the end. ((There are other voices in the video above that opens in the article picture)))
The best DHB player was still Wolff, who kept his team in the game with 21 often spectacular parades. The safe seven -meter shooter Lukas Zerbe scored nine times for a German team that was rarely accessed against the nimble southern Europeans in defense and developed too little ideas and punch over long stretches of the game.
“You learn the most from defeats. We have to analyze it. The little things, the rebound did not flee our hands today. We must not put our heads in the sand,” said Zerbe. Gislason said: “In the end, the Portuguese probably deserved it today.”
Instead of playing the first World Cup medal for 18 years and moving into the semi-finals for the third time in a row at a big tournament, Wolff and Co.
Dream of World Cup medal burst
The DHB selection had dreamed of precious metal before the tournament and issued the semi -finals as the destination – but it rarely lived up to it over the entire course of the tournament. In the preliminary round, Germany wiggled, in the main round, it then set a 30:40 bankruptcy against Olympic champion and world champion Denmark before the end of the Portuguese surprise team followed.
German handball players won their last World Cup medal at the golden winter fairy tale in 2007. Wolff and Co. get the next chance of repeating the coup in Cologne at the home World Cup 2027.
The Portuguese, who had already left the European Championship thirds of Sweden, host Norway and the two-time world champion Spain in the main round, meet in the fight for the final on Friday (8:30 p.m.) on top favorite Denmark. In the second semi-finals, European champions France and co-host Croatia are facing each other on Thursday (9:00 p.m./Sportdeutschland.tv and Eurosport) in Zagreb.
“They are extremely fast, it is fun to watch them,” said Gislason about the Portuguese just before the game at the ARD microphone: “But in the end we also have to get our strengths. That means: Our own defense, our own second wave and Our own attack game. “
At first, however, none really came on the train. Although keeper Wolff parried five (!) Balls in the first five minutes alone, the initial phase belonged to the Portuguese. At the front, there was no Knorr, which Gislason left on the bench after his cold at the beginning, in the punch. The defense seemed overwhelmed against the nimble southern Europeans, especially in the center.
Network reactions to the DHB team’s World Cup:
Gislason reacted to the fast 1: 5 deficit and brought Knorr after ten minutes. This had an effect. The German offensive now went down more, Knorr scored to 3: 6 (14th) – and Wolff just kept on the back. “We are in the game now,” Gislason called to his players during a break. However, Germany did not come up to the break to 6: 7 (20th) because Portugal continued to play cleverly and hit the field in the orphaned German gate two times across the field.
Germany starts well in the second half
The German team caught the better start to the second half. Especially offensive. Again and again the German attackers searched and found circular runners Golla, who used the chances from a short distance. In this phase, the DHB selection also benefited from the output against Luís Frade, which saw the red card for a foul on Renars Uscins (35th). “It could be a gamuchanger,” said ARD expert Johannes Bitter.
Gislason also sensed the chance. “Very good, very good. We have to do less, especially me, otherwise I will get two minutes,” Gislason roared in a scratching voice. When Knorr scored at 17:18 a little later (43.) and then the German team threw in the lead for the first time with three goals in a row (20:18), the entire Deutsche Bank cheers up.
As a result, a dramatic final phase developed, in which Wolff continued to play one of the leading roles. The Kiel goalkeeper held several free balls, but could not prevent the 22:22 (53.). The game has long been a real handball thriller – with the better end for Portugal.
Portugal – Germany 31:30 (26:26, 13: 9) NV. – Tore: Francisco Costa (8/1 seven meters), Iturriza Alvarez (7), Portela (4/2), Martim Costa (4), Areia (2/2), Salvador (2), Frade (2), Silva ( 1), Fernandes (1) for Portugal – Zerbe (9/7), Knorr (7), Golla (5), USCins (4), Köster (3), Grgic (1), Mertens (1) for Germany. – Spectators: 7475 in Oslo