The start has been mastered, self-confidence boosted – and a sign of solidarity has been sent: the German handball players have made a successful start to the European Championship qualification.
The team of national coach Markus Gaugisch won the first game on the way to the final round with 31:24 (15:14) against Ukraine despite a shaky start and thereby picked up momentum for the hot phase of the World Cup preparations.
With seven hits, Alina Grijseels was the best thrower of the German Handball Federation (DHB) selection, who took the first step towards the European Championship 2024 in Hungary, Austria and Switzerland (November 28th to December 15th) with her sixth success in a row. In addition, the first small casting took place before the World Cup, which will also include the Olympics for the DHB women in Herning, Denmark, from the end of November.
2,423 fans saw the game in Wetzlar, including up to 500 Ukrainian refugees who had received free tickets for the game from the association and the city. In addition to attractive handball, Gaugisch also wanted to offer these people “a nice evening with approachable athletes.”
Xenia Smits completes her 100th international match
In the game, the team around veteran Xenia Smits, who played her 100th international match, initially revealed unusual weaknesses. Offensively inaccurate, defensively vulnerable – it took until the 23rd minute before the DHB team took the lead for the first time after a five-goal deficit (13:12).
The German team, which was plagued by some personnel concerns, improved in the second half, but things remained close. The Ukrainians, also at the World Cup, kept up well. Led by the strong Grijseels, the DHB women only extended their lead more clearly in the final phase.
The DHB team was originally supposed to play against Israel in Tel Aviv on Saturday, but the game was postponed indefinitely by the European association EHF due to the military escalation in the Middle East. Instead, Gaugisch and his team will stay at the sports hotel in Großwallstadt to train until Saturday.