The German handball players started the year of the home World Cup with a narrow defeat against world champion France. The team of national coach Markus Gaugisch did not reward themselves for a strong catch -up in the test game in Trier and had to give up with 25:28 (10:18).
After an interim eight-goal deficit, the DHB team had come back to two goals in the final phase. The best German thrower was Alina Grijseels with seven goals.
Next duel with France follows
The DHB team can retire on Saturday (08.03.2025) in the second duel in Besançon. Above all, Gaugisch praised the courage and carefree of the newcomers to Pereira’s Aimée. “The team is a mixture of young and old. It is about the young learning professional learning, but at the same time also taking the chance. Here is this door and if it does not open, then it occurs,” said the 50-year-old at DF1.
With unsatisfactory debut as a captain, Antje Döll Germany led Germany as a captain on the field. The 36-year-old looked nervous, received a time penalty early on and rejected a seven meter.
Bölk is no longer part of the DHB squad
The left wing took over the office of Emily Bölk and Grijseels, who had acted as captain’s duo since 2021. For the time being, Bölk is no longer even part of the DHB squad. The World Cup will take place in Germany and the Netherlands from November 27 to December 14th. Gaugisch: We do not know what we are playing after balanced first minutes, the hosts made too many bad passes and literally invited the Olympic period to goals.
In the attack game, Germany often acted without haphazard. “We run back and forth and do not know what we are playing,” said Gaugisch in his first break. After 20 minutes, his selection was already 7:12. The German handball players acted better in the game and were able to prevent some counterattacks. After the break, the DHB team was more dominant and made the game exciting again. Also because goalkeeper Nicole Roth parried a lot of litters in the absence of the sick regular keeper Katharina Filter. In the end, the mortgage from the first half was too big.