The DHB team maintains its semi-final chance at the home handball European Championship with an important victory. Not all players can shine. The individual criticism.
Nils Kögler reports from Cologne
Surrounded by a sea of black, red and gold flags, match winner Julian Köster picked up his well-deserved award, then the German backcourt ace celebrated the liberation blow with his teammates.
The player of the game threw Germany’s handball players back into the medal race at the home European Championship and opened the door wide open to the semi-finals. National coach Alfred Gíslason’s team won against Hungary 35:28 (18:17) and can dream more than ever of a new winter fairy tale. In front of 19,750 spectators in the sold-out Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Köster was the best German thrower with eight goals.
Gíslason praises “phenomenal defense”
With 5:3 points, the DHB selection is now in second place ahead of the final game against Croatia on Wednesday behind the already qualified Olympic champions France (8:0). Hungary and Austria (both 4:4) also still have a chance of reaching the semi-finals. The best two teams qualify for the top four round.
“You could tell today that we started the game well, that certain things were easier for us again,” said Köster after the much-celebrated victory on ZDF. “This is a good and correct first step and we want to build on it.” Gíslason was also “relatively satisfied,” as he said. His team had “phenomenal defense” and “worked incredibly well” for over 60 minutes. The attack, which was still the major weak point against Austria, was also outstanding.
Two players earned the top grade, but one also received a five. You can read the individual criticism here or in the photo show above.