A victory for self-confidence, but still room for improvement: Germany’s handball players have won their penultimate test match before the European Championship. The team of national coach Alfred Gislason defeated Switzerland with 30:26 (15:14) and took off a week before their European Championship opening game for the upcoming tournament in Slovakia and Hungary.
“All in all we did very well,” said Gislason on the “ARD” microphone: “We had small phases with problems, but I expected that. The team has done an outstanding job since January 1st. That was a good game. Everyone is excited about the European Championship. “
The top scorer in the DHB selection in Mannheim was left winger Marcell Schiller with seven goals. In the EM dress rehearsal, the German team will meet Olympic champion France on Sunday (19:05 / Sport1), before the team will travel to the preliminary round venue in Bratislava on Wednesday. “Everything is possible. We are unpredictable,” said goalkeeper Till Klimpke confidently: “We want to win as many games as possible.”
Seven days before their first European Championship appearance, the newly formed team around captain Johannes Golla had a hard time for a long time. But when it came down to it in the final phase, the German team stayed cool and was able to break away decisively. Gislason used the game against the WM-16. especially to try out his broad squad, peppered with nine tournament debutants.
“It’s going very well in training, but in the end we don’t know where we stand. It’s extremely important to get this competitive situation now,” said Gislason before the game and announced that he would try a lot.
The Icelander set an example right from the start. Sebastian Heymann instead of Julius Kühn, Luca Witzke instead of Philipp Weber and Djibril M’Bengue instead of Kai Häfner: Gislason offered three of the nine tournament debutants right from the start and left the established forces on the bench for one half.
DHB team needs “even more emotions”
The newly formed team did well at first and quickly led 6: 3 (10th), but especially in defense it revealed some deficits. The agreement in the middle block did not work, and there was also a lack of penetration at the front. Before the break it was mainly thanks to keeper Andreas Wolff that the German team never fell behind despite almost six minutes without a goal of their own.
“I think we can still improve a bit. Especially in defense we are not where we want to be,” said Oliver Roggisch at the break on “ARD” and called for “more emotions” and a “better game of switching “.
In the second round, Gislason brought his veterans in the back area – and the German team now seemed more concentrated. Also because the now substitute Till Klimpke, like Wolff, showed a few parades, the DHB team quickly pulled away to 22:17 (39th).
But another phase of weakness followed, so that ten minutes before the end the lead suddenly melted down to one goal (25:24). Then Germany pulled away again.
Germany – Switzerland 30:26 (15:14). – Goals: Golla (2), Wiencek (2), Heymann (3), Zerbe (1), J. Köster (1), M’Bengue (2), P. Weber (2), Schiller (7/4) , Kühn (1), Mertens (3), C. Steinert (3), Kastening (3) for Germany – Schmid (5/1), Meister (3), Rubin (6), Tynowski (3), Lier (1 ), Sidorowicz (1), Raemy (2), Röthlisberger (3), Küttel (1), Romdhane (1) for Switzerland. – Spectators: none
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