The DHB team saves a draw against Austria – and now has to worry about progressing at the European Championships. Only one player can be fully convincing.
Johannes Golla gathered his teammates together on the field. While the Austrians danced across the parquet in complete euphoria, Germany’s handball players swore arm in arm in their fight for the semi-finals at the home European Championships, regardless of the surprising setback (22:22).
“You could see on their faces that the disappointment was very, very great,” reported Golla. But the DHB team is in agreement: “We still have two games. Of course we want to win them. Then we’ll see what happens in the end,” said the pivot.
The fact is: the DHB team no longer has the chance to reach the medal games with 3:3 points in their own hands. Two wins in the remaining main round games against Hungary (4:2 points) on Monday (8.30 p.m. in the live ticker at t-online) and Croatia (1:5) on Wednesday (8.30 p.m.) are mandatory, and the previously unbeaten Austria (4th place) must also win :2) still lost ground in his games against Olympic champions France (6:0) and Iceland (1:5).
Video | The DHB game against Austria was so exciting
National coach Alfred Gíslason said after the game: “We don’t need to do any further calculations, we have to win the game against Hungary. And if we want to do that, we have to play very well, that’s without a doubt.”
The hard-fought point against Austria could still be “important” in the end, said Gíslason: “The starting position hasn’t changed much. We have to win the next two games.”
You can see what grade goalkeeper Wolff received for his performance against Austria and how Golla performed during the game here or in the photo show above.